ISSS News 27 April 2009

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

1. Last International Coffee Hour for This Academic Year With Special Recognition Friday, May 1

Good company! Free food! Hot and cold beverages! Celebrate May and the approaching end of the Spring semester by coming to this month's International Coffee Hour on Friday, May 1 from 3:30-5pm in the University Union Susquehanna Room (note change in room location!). This month's sponsor is the Division of Student Affairs.

As a special feature of this month’s Coffee Hour, we will be honoring the leadership of the international student cultural associations. Please come out to support these associations:
Binghamton University Japanese Association
Binghamton University Korean Undergraduate Student Association
Binghamton University Turkish Student Association
Chinese Student and Scholar Association
European Student Association
Graduate African Student Organization
Indian Graduate Student Organization
Korean Graduate Student Association
Taiwan Student Association

Pre-registration for all current students for Fall 2009 continues from now through Friday, May 8. Students’ time tickets (registration times) may be obtained from BU Brain, the student portal at http://bubrain.binghamton.edu
Students are assigned times for pre-registration according to their total cumulative credits, including in-progress courses. Students can check their total cumulative credits by visiting BU Brain.

3. Attention Undergraduate Seniors! Please Complete The 2009 On-Line Survey of Graduating Students

The Career Development Center, in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs Assessment & Strategic Initiatives and the Office of Institutional Research & Planning, has just launched the 2009 survey of graduating seniors. All graduating seniors in all schools and colleges have received an email at their BU email account directing them to the online survey.

This information will tell the University the future plans of our graduating seniors and gain insight into how they feel the university has prepared them.

Become A Mentor! Applications Being Accepted For Fall 2009 JC Mentor Program

The Johnson City Mentor Program is a partnership between Binghamton University and the Johnson City School District. The program's primary objective is to provide Johnson City School District students with role models and extra academic support. BU students encourage mentees to develop their organizational, planning and social skills while serving their community. Since its inception in spring of 1997 over 500 BU students have successfully participated in the program. Visit the JC Mentor website for additional information and application procedures.

The CDC seeks an undergraduate intern to provide marketing support. Positions available for summer, fall, and/or spring semesters for academic credit. Complete description is available in the “News & Events” section of the CDC website.

New Weekly eRecruiting Announcement – Nearly 200 Positions With Low Applications

Employers Are Still Hiring!! Apply Today! The Career Development Center has hundreds of positions listed on eRecruiting, and new opportunities are posted daily! As we work together to combat this competitive job market, we have some very valuable resources to share with students. Each week, from April 13th until May 22nd, we will be using eRecruiting to send out a list of opportunities including:

1. Jobs and internships from the CDC that have zero to low number of applicants and
2. Jobs and internships from Experience (eRecruiting) that are targeted to Binghamton University.

All positions are currently accepting applications; you will be surprised by both the quantity (this week’s count is NEARLY 200!) and the variety of the opportunities within the list. Students must have an updated eRecruiting profile and resume to apply!

There’s one sure way to get a ticket to Spring 2009 Commencement ceremonies and join in the excitement: Volunteer!

If you’re an international student planning to spend the summer in Binghamton, you’re invited to sign up to volunteer for Commencement on Saturday, May 16 and/or Sunday, May 17. You may choose from the following volunteer opportunities: Ticket taking at the door; assisting families with photos; distributing programs; assisting guests with seating; assembling students for the processionals; or assisting where most needed.

Students living on campus will be granted official permission to stay in the dorms until after the ceremonies on Sunday, May 17.

You may choose one or more ceremonies: Harpur College morning ceremony, Sunday, May 17, at 8:30 a.m.; professional schools (School of Management, Decker School of Nursing, College of Community and Public Affairs and Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science) ceremony, Sunday, May 17, at noon; Harpur College afternoon ceremony, Sunday, May 17, at 3:30 p.m.; or The Graduate School ceremony, Saturday, May 16, at 5 p.m.

Upon successful registration you will receive an email with complete volunteer details: parking locations, training, arrival times, event dress, behind-the-scenes info, activity responsibilities and more.

ISSS staff are often asked what the immigration requirements are if a student will no longer be continuing at Binghamton, either because the student is returning to his/her home country, or is beginning Practical Training or Academic Training, or because the student is going to begin study at a new school.

Regardless of your plans, retain your old I-20s (or DS-2019s)! These forms represent your immigration history in the U.S. and should be kept in a safe place as you would any important document. In addition, you must complete a departure/change of address form, available on the ISSS website at http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/depForm.html

The immigration regulatory process for transferring your F-1 status from Binghamton to a new U.S. school requires you to complete a SEVIS Release Form with the ISSS so that your federal SEVIS record can be transferred to your new school. The SEVIS Release Form may be obtained in the ISSS or downloaded at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/SEVISRelse.pdf

Also, follow your new school's instructions for obtaining your I-20, and for reporting to that school in a timely fashion.

Students who will be ending their studies in May but have no plans to apply for practical training (F-1), academic training (J-1) or continue at a new school or in a new field or level of study, or seek a change of non-immigrant status must depart the United States within sixty days of completion of their academic program if they are in F-1 status, or within thirty days if they are in J-1 status.

7. Attention: Graduate Assistants and Teaching Assistants on the State Payroll and Other Students Who Work On-Campus

Any graduate assistants or teaching assistants who are completing their studies this semester are reminded that it is critical that they provide the State Payroll Office (4th floor Couper Administration Building) or the Research Foundation Payroll Office (ITC Building) with a permanent home address for the remainder of 2009 to insure that all W-2 forms for income received in 2009 can be mailed to the correct address next January 2010.

In addition, any hourly student workers on the State Payroll or other campus payrolls (such as Sodexho Dining Services) who are completing their studies this semester are also reminded to provide the Payroll Office (4th floor Couper Administration Building), if you are on the New York State payroll, or the payroll office of any other campus employer with an address for the remainder of 2009, to insure that all W-2 forms for income received in 2009 can be mailed to the correct address next January.

8. Are You Male, from the Republic of Korea, and Planning to Enter Military Service?

Many students who are from the Republic of Korea and male make plans to enter the military service for their required obligation some time during their years at Binghamton. If you are entering the Korean military this summer or fall, and will be pausing your studies while you are serving, please read the important article at:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/pubs/korean.html

USCIS reports that approximately 44,000 H-1B cap-subject petitions and approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption had been filed. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions until a sufficient number of H-1B petitions have been received to reach the statutory limits, taking into account the fact that some of these petitions may be denied, revoked, or withdrawn.

USCIS will provide regular updates on the processing of FY2010 H-1B petitions. The updates can be found on the USCIS’ Web site at www.uscis.gov/h-1b_count

If you have a child (or children) with you in the United States, and plan to travel abroad with them this Spring or Summer, we recommend that you read an important article on the ISSS web site about travel with children. The article specifically addresses issues when only one parent is traveling with the children. Visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/travel/parntchild.html

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