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
Editor’s Note: Students who have been affected by the recent floods in our local area are urged to continue to check the special website created just for you:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/student-affairs/displaced-students.html
Please note that all boil-water advisories have ended except for a small area of Vestal near Old Vestal Road.
CONTENTS:
1. International Student Grant-In-Aid Now Accepting Applications
2. Information on How to Aid Local Flood Recovery
3. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for Employment Questions
4. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for International Health Insurance Questions
5. Graduate School Fair and Law Day This Week: Mark Your Calendar!
6. College Culture Series for Undergraduates
7. Join Toastmasters to Practice and Improve Your English Speaking Skills
8. Prevent Identify Theft: Keep Your Social Security Card Safe
9. Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card Lottery) 2013 Announcement
10. Employment Opportunity for Undergraduates: Want to be a BU Tour Guide?
11. Positions Available on the Student Conduct Board
12. Did You Forget to Turn In Your I-94 Card During Your Last Trip Abroad?
13. Planning to Visit Canada?
14. Counseling? Me?
15. International Students and Arrests
1. International Student Grant-In-Aid Now Accepting Applications
Each semester, awards of up to $500 are made to a small number of international students who have a severe financial need. To be eligible, students must be in F-1 or J-1 status, have been in attendance at Binghamton University at least one year (began their studies at Binghamton University in Fall 2010 or earlier), document need, have no outstanding obligations to the university, and be full-time students in good standing.
Some students may find themselves in financial difficulty through no fault of their own. Examples can include reduced support from a sponsor, or unanticipated expenses. Applicants are strongly advised to carefully document their financial situation when submitting the application form, as there are always more students seeking assistance than there are funds.
Students with outstanding balances in their student account with the University should note that based on BU policy, any scholarship award will first be applied towards the balance on their student bill.
Applications are available now in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and must be submitted no later than Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
2. Information on How to Aid Local Flood Recovery
The Center for Civic Engagement is serving as an information source for those who wish to aid flood victims. Subscribe to their e-newsletter that lists flood-related volunteer opportunities by sending a request to be added to cce@binghamton.edu.
For additional information and lists of student-initiated activities to aid flood victims, visit http://www.binghamton.edu/cce/flood-recovery/
If you have initiated an activity to help local flood victims, send details to cce@binghamton.edu so it can be added to the webpage and we can help recruit volunteers and/or help promote your efforts.
Nonperishable foods collected though food drives can be given to the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse. Contact Deacon Ed Blaine, CHOW director, at mail@broomecouncil.net.
Send donations and funds collected through fundraisers to the Flood Victims Relief Fund, which is being managed by United Way of Broome County. For details, visit http://www.unitedwaybroome.org/.
If you have questions or additional information, contact the CCE at 607-777-4287, cce@binghamton.edu or UU-145.
3. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for Employment Questions
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services reminds readers of our Walk-In Hours for Employment questions and applications, every Tuesday from 1:30pm to 3:15pm. Please come to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to check-in. You will be seen on a first come, first served basis.During these times, you can:
· Ask a quick question about CPT or OPT (5 minutes or less!)
· Submit a CPT application for review (Is it complete? What’s missing?)
· Ask questions about CPT course registration
· Ask questions about your OPT application
· Get help with choosing an OPT start-date
· Have your OPT application reviewed before mailing it to USCIS
If your question is complicated and requires more than 5 minutes to answer, then you will want to make an appointment with a member of the ISSS Employment Team by visiting or calling the ISSS office at (607) 777-2510. Can’t get to the ISSS for an appointment? Send your questions via email to: intl.work@binghamton.edu
Did You Know? Employment information and all necessary forms are found on our website at the following link: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/employment/index.html
Webinars on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are available 24/7 at the following link: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/employment/empWebinar.html
4. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for International Health Insurance QuestionsThe Office of International Student and Scholar Services reminds readers of our Walk-In Hoursfor International Student Health Insurance questions, every Tuesday from 10:15am–12:00pm. Please come to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to check-in. You will be seen on a first come, first served basis.
During these times, you can:
· Ask questions about a medical bill
· Ask questions about a collection notice
· Ask questions about how to use your health insurance
· Ask questions about renewing your health insurance
· Ask questions about insurance fee adjustments (you must have already completed the on-line fee adjustment form at http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/health-insurance/waiverinfo.html)
If your question is complicated and requires more than 5 minutes to answer, then you will need to make an appointment with a member of the ISSS International Health Insurance Team by visiting or calling the main office at (607) 777-2510. Send your questions via email to: intl.insure@binghamton.edu
Did You Know? Information about Health Insurance and filing claims can be found on our website: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/health-insurance/index.html
5. Graduate School Fair and Law Day This Week: Mark Your Calendar!
The Career Development Center wants BU students to know about the following programs:
Graduate School Fair
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
11:00 am-2:30 pm University Union Mandela Room and University Union Old Union Hall
PLEASE BRING YOUR BINGHAMTON I.D.
Graduate school recruiters from schools across the country will be in attendance at this event. Network with recruiters to learn about programs and improve your chances of admittance!
List of Registered Graduate Schools
Law Day
Wednesday, September 21, 2010
11:30 am - 2:45 pm
Mandela Room, University Union
PLEASE BRING YOUR BINGHAMTON I.D.
Speak with law school representatives from across the country about programs and admission criteria.
List of Registered Law Schools
6. College Culture Series for Undergraduate International Students
The Office of Residential Life is sponsoring a series of workshops for undergraduate international students, especially those who live in the on campus residence halls.
Session Friday, September 23rd at 3pm in Mountainview-Appalachin Hall 111
Topic: How to deal with conflict and roommate issues
Discuss ways to handle conflicts as the arise as well as discuss the good and bad of living with a roommate
Session Monday, September 26th at 7:30pm in Susquehanna Community Coffee House
Topic: Kitchen Safety and Health Eating
Help students learn about cooking safety and personal health and wellness including how to deal with dilemmas revolving around food, alcohol and drugs and visiting a doctor.
Session Friday, October 7th at 3pm in Mohawk Hall – College in the Woods
Topic: Public Speaking/Conversation Hour and Closure Activity
Help students adjust and feel more comfortable speaking in group settings. Assess what participants have learned from the series and what they would like to see happen in the future
7. Join Toastmasters To Practice and Improve Your English Speaking Skills
Confidence. The ability to communicate, persuade and lead. The skill to tell one’s story, shape better tomorrows and point others in the same direction. These are the attributes of leaders, and not all leaders are born with talent. They learn it, and so can you. We are prepared to equip a new generation of success-oriented students with the practical communication and leadership skills necessary to improve their confidence and achieve their goals. Join Thrill Speakers Toastmasters Club---Where leaders are made. We hold our meetings on Mondays at 7:30pm in Old University Union Room 124.
For more information, contact Jon Calhoun, President of the Binghamton University Chapter of Toastmasters International Sartre08@yahoo.com
There are Toastmasters Clubs throughout the world, and there are 8 in the Binghamton area alone! To learn more, visit their website: http://www.toastmasters.org/
8. Prevent Identity Theft: Keep Your Social Security Card Safe
Many new international students who are currently employed have received their Social Security Card. Please be sure to follow these important steps:
· Go to the Student Records Office: Bring your Social Security Card to the Student Records Office (Student Wing Room 119) and fill out a “Change of Social Security Number” form. Be sure to have your passport with you.
· Go to Your Payroll Office: If you are employed on campus, you are required by US law to report your new Social Security Number to the appropriate payroll office. Graduate and Teaching Assistants (GAs and TAs) should go to the Payroll Office, located in the Administration Building Room 240 (Tel: 607-777-6284). Research Assistants (RAs) should go to Room 1214, located in the Innovative Technology Center on Murray Hill Road. (Tel: 607-777-4264). To keep their employment Sodexho employees must report their SSN to the Sodexho HR office. Your Social Security Number is required for income tax reporting purposes.
· Go to Your Bank: If you have opened a bank account, whether locally or elsewhere in the United States, report your new Social Security Number to your bank. This is required by law.
· Keep your Social Security Card in a safe place. Do not carry it in your wallet or purse. If stolen, an unscrupulous individual might use your Social Security Number to open up credit card accounts in your name and make purchases that could be charged to you. This is called “identity theft.”
· To learn more about your Social Security Card, visit the following web site: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html
9. Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card Lottery) 2013 Announcement
The U.S. State Department has published its announcement of the 2013 Diversity Visa Lottery. The Diversity Visa lottery (DV) is a program mandated under Section 203 (c) of the Immigration Act of 1990. The legislation makes available up to 50,000 permanent resident immigrant visas by random selection through an annual diversity visa lottery.
Natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery because the countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the United States in the previous five years: BANGLADESH, BRAZIL, CANADA, CHINA (mainland-born), COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, INDIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, PAKISTAN, PERU, PHILIPPINES, SOUTH KOREA, UNITED KINGDOM (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and VIETNAM.
Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.
Changes in eligibility this year: For DV-2013, natives of South Sudan and Poland are now eligible for selection, while Bangladesh natives are now ineligible.
Entries for the DV-2013 DV lottery must be submitted electronically between noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and noon, Eastern Standard Time (EST) (GMT-5), Saturday, November 5, 2011. Applicants may access the electronic DV Entry Form (E-DV) at http://www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. Paper entries will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in website delays. No entries will be accepted after noon, EST, on November 5, 2011.
There are no costs or fees to register for the DV program. Persons submitting entries to the 2013 lottery will see a confirmation screen at the end of the successful submission, containing your name and a unique confirmation number. You must print this confirmation screen for your records using the print function of your web browser and ensure that you retain your confirmation number. Starting May 1, 2012, you will be able to check the status of your DV2013 entry by returning to http://www.dvlottery.state.gov Entrant Status Check and entering your unique confirmation number and personal information. Entrant Status Check will be the only means of informing you of your selection for DV-2013. Therefore, it is essential that you retain your confirmation number. The U.S. Department of State is unable to provide your entry confirmation number if it is lost.
Individual digital photographs of the DV applicant and his/her spouse and all children under 21 years of age must be submitted with the electronic application. The image file can be produced either by taking a digital photograph or by scanning a photographic print with a digital scanner.
If an applicant does not have access to the internet, a third party can submit the application and electronic photograph on the applicant's behalf. However, only ONE application per applicant can be submitted.
There is no fee charged for entering the Diversity Visa Lottery. The Department of State does not endorse, recommend or sponsor any information or material from outside entities. The Department is aware that websites and email have masqueraded as official Diversity Visa Lottery facilitators. Registration for the Diversity Visa Lottery through the official, U.S. government website, www.dvlottery.state.gov is free of charge and notification of winning entries are posted on the Entrant Status Check at the U.S. government website beginning May 1, 2012.
ISSS-BU News subscribers are urged only to consult official U.S. government sources for information on the Diversity Visa Lottery. The lottery is a random drawing. Be suspicious of any organization that offers to increase your chances of being selected for the lottery if you pay them a fee. They are promising something that is false. Also, there is no charge to enter the visa lottery, unless you are required to pay a third party to submit the application on your behalf.
U.S. State Department’s Official Instructions in English (16 page file) are available at:
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/DV_2013_instructions.pdf
Instructions in other languages are available at:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html
General information on the Diversity Visa Lottery with links to other information can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1322.html and at
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html
The State Department is very concerned about website fraud in relation to the Diversity Visa Lottery. Visit this web page for warnings about fraud and scammers:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html The following information is related to the current year’s program DV-2012, but it is still relevant. To read their warning, visit the following link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1749.html
10. Employment Opportunity for Undergraduates: Want to be a BU Tour Guide?
Do you love Binghamton? Do you know campus like the back of your hand? Are you friendly and outgoing? Then why not be a Binghamton University Tour Guide?! Applications are now available in the Admissions Office in Academic A. Completed applications are due back to the office no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. Got a question? E-mail mailto:BUTG.Hiring@gmail.com or mailto:dcontin1@binghamton.
11. Positions Available On The Student Conduct Board
Applications for positions on the Student Conduct Board are available on the Office of Student Conduct website www.binghamton.edu/student-conduct/ then, click on “Student Conduct Board” from the menu on the left.
Student Conduct Board Members hear cases of alleged violation of the Code of Student Conduct and determine appropriate sanctions when warranted. The application deadline is Friday, October 14. Undergraduate and Graduate students in good conduct standing with the University are eligible to apply (May and December 2012 Graduates are not eligible). For further information contact the Office of Student Conduct at 607-777-6210.
12. Did You Forget to Turn In Your I-94 Card During Your Last Trip Abroad?
If you returned to your home country with your Form I-94 (white) Departure Record in your passport, rather than have it collected by airport personnel as you boarded your flight, it is possible that your departure was not recorded properly.
If you departed by a commercial air or sea carrier (airlines or cruise ships), your departure from the United States can be independently verified, and it is not necessary to take any further action, although holding on to your outbound (from the United States) boarding pass - if you still have it - can help expedite your re-entry next time you come back to the United States.
If you departed by land, private vessel or private plane, you will need to take steps to correct the record. If you do not validate your timely departure from the United States, or, if you cannot reasonably prove you departed within the time frame given to you when you entered, the next time you apply for admission to the United States, Customs and Border Protection may conclude you remained in the United States beyond your authorized stay. If this happens, your visa may be subject to cancellation or you may be returned immediately to your foreign point of origin.
The US Department of Customs and Border Protection provides specific information for mailing the I-94 card back to the U.S. for processing if you departed the US by land, private vessel, or private plane. They also provide instructions for a participant in the Visa Waiver program for tourists who returned home with their (green) Form I-94W card. We have taken that information and placed it on our website, in the “Publications” section, for convenient viewing. The article may be viewed at: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/publications/forgoturI94.html
The Fall can be a popular time for students to take a trip to Canada.
Please visit the following link for information on Canadian Entry Visa Requirements:
http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/travel/canada.html
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services has paper copies of the Canadian Entry Visa Application instructions.
Canada does not require visitors from all countries to obtain entry visas (called temporary resident visas), but there is a lengthy list of countries whose citizens will first need to obtain visas before they can enter Canada. You can view that list here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp. In New York State, Canadian entry visas are issued at the Canadian consulates in Buffalo and New York City.
Students in F or J status who need to apply for entry visas are required by Canadian Immigration to obtain a letter of certification signed by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. In addition, the travel signature on page 3 of the I-20 (page 1 of the DS-2019) must be less than one year old. Students will need to visit the ISSS to have the signatures on their forms updated. Letters of certification may be requested from the ISSS by visiting or by filling out an on line form at: http://saffairs.binghamton.edu/isss/webforms/LOC/
If you know that you will travel to Canada soon, do not wait until the last minute to have your I-20 signed or letter of certification prepared. Instead, come to the ISSS well in advance of your trip.
Why would someone go to the University Counseling Center? For stress management, relationship issues, concerns about roommates, study worries, mental health counseling, how to help a friend with an eating disorder, lack of concentration, anger management, learning how to be assertive, because they’ve suffered a trauma like the loss of a loved one or having been sexually assaulted. For a more detailed list and the qualifications of the counselors, check out our website: http://www2.binghamton.edu/counseling/
The University Counseling Center is located on the first floor of the Bartle Library Lobby, Room LN Room 1202. Telephone: 607-777-2772. http://www2.binghamton.edu/counseling/
15. International Students and Arrests
Although it is not a pleasant subject, there are a few situations where an international student might be arrested in the United States and charged with a crime. Common misdemeanor or felony arrests can include theft, drunk driving, shoplifting (stealing goods from a store without paying for them) and drug possession (with or without intent to sell).
The ISSS has published an article on its website that discusses the consequences such arrests can create with a student’s U.S. immigration status, even if the charges themselves are dismissed or reduced. The article may be viewed at: http://www2.binghamton.edu/isss/publications/instuarrest.html
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