1. National Holidays for the Month of December
2. Student Association Offers Opportunity for Cultural Exchange Through Hospitality
3. Next International Coffee Hour Friday, December 7
4. The Nutcracker Performed on Ice, Saturday, December 8
5. On Campus Employment Opportunity With Languages Across the Curriculum (LxC)
6. Traveling Over Intersession? Don’t Let This Happen to You!
7. Holiday Closing Dates for International Student and Scholar Services
8. Practical Training Update from the ISSS
9. Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Applications are Now Available
10. SEVIS Compliance and Spring 2008 Registration
11. SEVIS Compliance for Students Not Returning for Spring 2008
12. Tax Time is Coming!

1. National Holidays for the Month of December

The following countries are celebrating national holidays during the month of December:

Country	Date
Central African Republic	1-Dec
Romania	1-Dec
Laos	2-Dec
United Arab Emirates	2-Dec
Thailand	5-Dec
Finland	6-Dec
Côte d'Ivoire	7-Dec
Kenya	12-Dec
Bahrain	16-Dec
Bhutan	17-Dec
Niger	18-Dec
Japan	23-Dec
Mauritania	28-Dec
Nepal	28-Dec

2. Student Association Offers Opportunity for Cultural Exchange Through Hospitality

Are you a U.S. student interested in learning about life in another culture?

Are you an international student who would like to visit with a U.S. family over one of the vacation breaks? Come meet interested U.S. students!

International students will have the opportunity to learn more about U.S. family life and culture, enjoy a home cooked meal, even more than one, and much more.  U.S. students will learn about how a foreign student's life differs from their own, how people in another country go about doing different things, different values, even foreign recipes and food.

The Student Association is sponsoring a meet and greet event for interested BU international and U.S. students on Wednesday, December 5th from 7pm-9pm in Old University Union Room 200 (second floor above the South Lounge).

3. Next International Coffee Hour Friday, December 7

Good company! Free refreshments! Relax and celebrate the last day of classes by coming to this month's International Coffee Hour on Friday, December 7 from 3:30-5pm in the University Union Old Union Hall (next to the University Union Mandela Room). This month's sponsors are the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and International Affairs, and the Office of International Programs.

The Coffee Hour strives to be a space where the entire Binghamton University community, including international students, U.S. students, faculty/staff, and community members are welcome. The coffee hours are informal and provide an opportunity to meet and learn more about each other in a relaxed atmosphere. They are held on the first Friday of every month in the University Union Old Union Hall from 3:30pm-5pm. Each coffee hour has free hot and cold beverages and cookies, sponsored by a different department on campus.

4. The NutcrackerPerformed On Ice Saturday, December 8

Experience a unique ice presentation of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful ballet and family holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, performed by The St. Petersburg State Ballet on Ice on Saturday, December 8, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Binghamton University’s Anderson Center for the Performing Arts.
                               
Six thousand pounds of crushed ice will transform the Osterhout Concert Theater stage to a 30’ x 40’ ice rink where a cast of 35 skate champions turned ice dancers will thrill you as they leap, spin and gracefully glide through ballet-inspired choreography in the Kirov tradition.

Specializing in full-length productions, such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker, The St. Petersburg State Ballet on Ice, founded 40 years ago, is grounded in the traditions of Russian classic ballet. In Russia, ballet classes are part of a skaters training and once accepted into the company, the skaters are required to take ballet classes on a regular basis.

Tickets are $25 for general public and $15 for children, 12 and under. Groups of 10 or more receive an additional discount. For tickets and information, call 607-777-ARTS or visit the website at http://anderson.binghamton.edu

The Nutcracker is sponsored, in part, by Barnes & Noble College Bookstores and Mix 103.3 FM

5. On Campus Employment Opportunity With Languages Across the Curriculum

Do You Speak Cantonese, French, Hebrew, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, and/or Spanish?  Then, LxC WANTS YOU!

The Languages Across the Curriculum Program (LxC) is now accepting applications for the position of Language Resource Specialist (LRS) for the Spring 2008 or Fall 2008 semester. All applications should be submitted to the Languages Across the Curriculum office. First consideration will be give to those applicants who submit before December 7, 2007. Interviews for this position will take place during early December. Pick up an application at the Languages Across the Curriculum offices in Hinman 209-210, OR print one from our web site:  http://lxc.binghamton.edu/jobs.html

• If you have submitted an application in the past, email us at lxc@binghamton.edu to make sure it is still on file.

Job description: LRSs assist students in understanding the assigned foreign-language materials and in relating them to course content. Discussion is conducted in the foreign language or English depending on the ability of the students. LRSs provide individual assessment for assignments. LRSs also benefit both financially and professionally through mandatory training that provides guidance and assistance in identifying and utilizing LxC materials.
Note: This is not an assistantship.
Pay begins at $9/hr and LRSs work 5-10 hours per week. Weekly study group meetings led by each LRS begin in the 5th week of classes, scheduled at the convenience of the LRS and her/his students.

The ideal candidate will have very good English language skills and native or near-native proficiency in the LxC language. Candidates with demonstrated expertise in: Literature, Environmental Studies, History, Political Science, International Business will receive special consideration.

6. Traveling Over Intersession?  Don’t Let This Happen to You!

During intersession break, International Student and Scholar Services staff receive a number of worried phone calls and emails from BU students who are traveling outside the United States.  The reason?  Either the student has forgotten to travel with their current I-20 (or, if in J status, their DS-2019), and tells ISSS staff that the I-20 (or DS-2019) was left behind in their Binghamton apartment or residence hall, OR the student has the I-20 (or DS-2019) with them, but the form lacks a current travel signature.

Either way, that creates a very big problem for the student upon his or her return to the United States, because the student will be stopped by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Official for failure to present the appropriate documents.  At the very least, this will result in delays at immigration inspection at the U.S. port of entry, and possibly, the issuance of only a 30-day stay in the United States.

So, don’t let this happen to you!  Be sure to have your I-20 or DS-2019 when you travel (and if you have multiple documents, have them with you to present in case you are asked to do so).  Also, check your I-20 (or DS-2019) to be sure you have a currently valid travel signature.  The travel signature should be less than one year old as of the date you will return to the United States.  If your travel will take you to Canada, the signature needs to be less than six months old.

7. Holiday Closing Dates for International Student and Scholar Services

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services, along with most other university offices, will be closed for what is traditionally known at the University as the "holiday shutdown" period. The official holiday shutdown starts on Tuesday, December 25, 2007 with offices re-opening on Wednesday, January 2, 2008, but many offices will have limited or no staff on Monday, December 24 as well.  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 21, there will be a wait until January 2 before work resumes. It is strongly recommended that any requests for documents be made no later than December 14 to assure timely processing.  Remember not to wait until the last minute, as doing so may require you to wait until after January 2nd for documents to be returned to you!

8. Holiday Closing Dates for International Student and Scholar Services

If you are graduating in January, are in F-1 status, and have been planning to apply for optional practical training post-graduation, but have not yet done so, do not delay! Fall 2007 graduates must send their completed applications to the USCIS Vermont Processing Center so that it arrives there before January 4, 2008, which is the completion date for Fall graduates.

Please keep in mind that the ISSS office will curtail services at 4:30pm on Friday, December 21, 2007 and will not reopen until Wednesday, January 2, 2008.

We remind our F-1 students to allow 7-10 business days for the ISSS portion of the processing of OPT applications. Traditionally, the ISSS has advised students to allow 12 weeks for application processing by US Citizenship and Immigration Services. You are urged to consider these dates when submitting your paperwork. Applications are available in the ISSS.

Once you receive your EAD card, please bring it to the ISSS so that a copy can be made for your file. This will prove very useful to you in case the card is ever lost or misplaced. Remember: you cannot begin employment any earlier than the starting date on the EAD card.

9. Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Applications are Now Available

In the October 8, 2007 edition of ISSS-BU News, we published information on scholarships for women available for academic year 2008-09.  The link to the article is at:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/news/isssbu2007/Oct082007.html#six

Late last week, The World Bank announced that the 2008-09 Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund Applications are now available.  The fund provides financial assistance to women from developing countries during their studies in the United States or Canada. The MMMF annually awards about six to ten grants of approximately $11,000 each.

The Fund is administered by World Bank Volunteer Services. The application deadline is February 29, 2008.

A copy of the list of all eligible developing countries for this Scholarship as well as application information and selection criteria are available now on the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund web site.  Visit http://www.wbfn.org and scroll down on the left to “Outreach,” then select MMMF. 
The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
World Bank Volunteer Services
The World Bank
1818 H Street NW, Room MSN H2-204
Washington, D.C. 20433
202-473-8751 (phone)
202-522-3142 (fax)
e-mail: MMMF@worldbank.org

10. SEVIS Compliance and Spring 2008 Registration

It's very important that all BU students in F or J status who will be registered for the Spring 2008 semester know the SEVIS rules for being in compliance.

SEVIS Registration Deadline
The SEVIS deadline for continuing students to be registered for the Spring 2008 semester is February 26, 2008 (30 days following the first day of classes). Although the University has a late registration deadline of February 8, 2008, some graduate students, especially those taking dissertation or thesis credit, may register later than the late registration date.

Graduate Students Who Can Be Certified Full Time
Graduate students who have completed all of their course work requirements and will be registering for fewer than 9 credits in a course rubric that can be certified as full time (including thesis, dissertation or project) must also submit to their department a "Certification of Full Time Status" form. This form can be downloaded from the web at:
http://gradschool.binghamton.edu/documents/FTCForm.pdf  (Note that this is a pdf file. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it.)

Students Graduating in May 2008 Who Will Be Less Than Full-Time
Undergraduate students who will be graduating at the end of the Spring 2008 semester and plan to register for less than a full-time course load because they need fewer than full-time credits to graduate must complete a "Request for a Reduced Course Load Due to Course Completion" form, available in the ISSS or by downloading the form from the web at:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/study_comp.pdf

Graduate students who are graduating at the end of Spring 2008 and are registered for a course rubric that cannot be certified as full time must also complete this form.

11. SEVIS Compliance for Students Not Returning for Spring 2008

Students not returning to Binghamton University for the Spring 2008 semester need to complete a departure form with the ISSS, unless they will be on optional practical training.   The departure form is available on the ISSS website.  Visit:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/depForm.html

A paper version of the departure form is available in the ISSS. Those needing to complete a departure form include:
*those who are graduating in Fall 2007 but who will not be pursuing optional practical training
* exchange students who are completing their programs
* those who have decided to stop their Binghamton studies and either return to their home country or transfer to a new U.S. school
*anyone withdrawing or terminating their studies as of the end of the Fall 2007 semester

12. Tax Time Is Coming!

At the end of the month, many of you will receive in the mail annual statements from your bank or credit union, listing your 2007 interest earnings "for income tax purposes." Those of you who filed tax forms last year may receive new forms in the mail from both the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and New York State. By the end of January, those of you who were employed in the U.S. during 2007 will receive a wage and tax statement for 2007, also known as a W-2 form.
What does all this mean, and what should you do with these forms?

What follows is an introduction to U.S. income tax basics:
 
ALL students in F and J status are required to file tax returns, even if you have earned no income in the United States. The ISSS will have both federal and state tax forms available in late January, and will provide information on how to complete the forms. Watch future issues of ISSS-BU News for details. During December, the ISSS will be updating the Taxes section of the ISSS web site, http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/index.html

The ISSS provides free income tax compliance software, 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.  CINTAX provides 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.  CINTAXis 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 CINTAX will be announced in January.

International students in F or J status for 5 years or less (since 2003 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 2006 or later) also file as non-residents.

If you did not earn any U.S. income during 2007 other than bank or credit union interest, then you need only file form 8843, Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals with a Medical Condition. The purpose of the 8843 is to verify that the non-resident qualifies to exempt days of presence, and thus shields the non-resident from being taxed as a resident. Being taxed as a U.S. resident allows the IRS to tax your world-wide income.

The deadline for filing tax forms is April 15, 2008.  International students who have been in for F or J status for more than 5 years, research scholars and faculty who have been in J-1 status for more than 2 years, or those who are in other non- immigrant statuses, are generally eligible to file as residents for tax purposes, and must use different forms.

International Student and Scholar Services staff are neither qualified nor permitted to give individual tax advice. Students with complicated tax situations may wish to consult with a tax preparation service, professional tax accountant, or tax attorney who is knowledgeable about nonresident tax law.

ISSS-BU is a listserv owned and managed by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, Division of Student Affairs, at the State University of New York at Binghamton. It is the publisher of ISSS-BU News . Permission is granted to freely distribute the information posted to this list as long as its contents remain unchanged.