ISSS News 10 August 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

Editor’s Note: Staff in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services will be unavailable on Thursday, August 13 from 11:45am to 1:30pm while they attend a University event.

International Student Orientation begins in two weeks, on Monday, August 24. 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 24. There are different orientation schedules for graduate students, undergraduate students, exchange students and Dual Diploma students from Turkey. All of the orientation schedules except for the DDP students are now posted. They can be viewed at:
Graduate Student Schedule: http://isss.binghamton.edu/orientation/fall/undergrad/program.htm
Undergraduate Student Schedule: http://isss.binghamton.edu/orientation/fall/graduate/program.htm
Exchange Student Schedule: http://isss.binghamton.edu/orientation/fall/ugexchange/program.htm

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 two weeks 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. Campus Network to be Temporarily Offline Tuesday August 11

A temporary power shutdown is scheduled for the Computer Center from 4:30am –8:00am Tuesday, Aug. 11, to connect new wiring that will provide an uninterruptible power supply to support the campus data center. The power shutdown will cause all systems and the campus network to be unavailable from 4:30am-8:00am. The upgrade will also enable necessary air conditioning and cooling towers to operate in the event of a power outage. If you have any questions, contact the Help Desk at 777-6420.

3. OCCT Summer Service Has Ended, Fall Service Begins Friday, August 28

OCC Transport’s summer service concluded Friday, August 7. Service will begin again on Friday August 28th with a limited schedule, and Monday August 31st with OCCT’s full Fall schedule. For more information, visit http://occt.binghamton.edu/
The ITC Van continues to be in service during this period.

4. Use the On-Line Form If You Need An Adjustment of Your International Health Insurance Fee

If you are an international graduate student who will have a Graduate Assistantship, Teaching Assistantship or Research Assistantship for the Fall 2009 semester, you generally receive health insurance as an employee benefit. However, your student bill may include a charge for the international student health insurance policy, which for the Fall 2009 semester is $414.50.

If you are receiving health insurance as an employee benefit but have also been billed for the international health insurance, you may request an adjustment to the international student health insurance fee by completing an on-line form. The form is on the ISSS home page at http://isss.binghamton.edu in the “News” section. The direct link is:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/insurance/insurance.cgi

This form may be used by students with GA/TA/RA funding who have enrolled in their employee health insurance program, students who are doing research in their home countries for the current semester, or students who were incorrectly billed or who are otherwise eligible for an adjustment.

By completing the on-line form, you request is received in International Student and Scholar Services. If you are on GA/TA/RA funding, your funding will be confirmed with the appropriate University office before an adjustment is made to your student bill. Please note that funded international graduate students are still charged for mandatory medical evacuation and repatriation insurance at a cost of $36.00 per semester, since that benefit is not included in your employee insurance. Funded F-1 students who did not have health insurance as an employee benefit during summer 2009 will be charged $81.00 for Fall 2009. This charge includes “bridge” insurance coverage until your employee health insurance takes effect, plus the medical evacuation and repatriation insurance policy.

After funding is confirmed, or if not funded, after your eligibility for an adjustment is determined, please allow seven business days for processing. After seven business days (do not count Saturday, Sunday or holidays), re-check your current account on BU Brain http://bubrain.binghamton.edu to see if an adjustment has been made. If you are not eligible for an adjustment, you will be so notified by email.

5. New Prescription Drug Benefit Added to International Health Insurance Plan

A new prescription drug program will be provided to all students enrolled in the International Student Health Insurance Plan for the 2009-2010 plan year (effective August 15, 2009). This prescription drug card will allow students to fill a covered prescription drug for up to a one-month supply at any participating pharmacy and pay a $10 co-pay for generic drugs and a $20 co-pay for brand drugs. To locate a participating pharmacy, students should sign into the http://www.hthstudents.com web site, click on “Doctors, Hospitals and Pharmacies” and then click on “United States Pharmacy Search.” Universal RX contracts with almost all national pharmacy chains and a large number of local pharmacies as well.

Here in Binghamton, the card will be accepted at all CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreen’s pharmacies. It’s also accepted at Wegman’s pharmacy and at Wal-Mart and Target pharmacies.

Students will be able to access Universal RX approximately 2 – 3 business days after they have been enrolled in HTH’s system. This usually happens approximately four weeks into the semester. You will know you are enrolled once you receive the email containing instructions for accessing your health insurance ID card. Students who have not yet been enrolled will not have access to Universal RX and must pay out of pocket for their prescription drug at the pharmacy and submit a claim to HTH Worldwide Insurance for reimbursement.

If students who have been enrolled have any issues obtaining prescription drugs at a participating pharmacy, they may contact Universal RX customer service at (800) 788-2910. If you have any questions regarding this new benefit, please contact Diane Sliwinski, the International Health Insurance Coordinator, at dsliwin@binghamton.edu

A special personal property insurance coverage to protect your possessions is being offered by the University to registered students. Based on the value of your items, you can select insurance coverage with policy amounts ranging from $2000 to $20,000. The cost to purchase the insurance varies according to the coverage you select. The least expensive coverage, $2000, is available at an annual cost of $65.00 (less than $6.00 per month), based on a $50 deductible. The next highest amount, $4000 of coverage, is available at an annual cost of $94. Your property is covered both on campus and in your off campus apartment or residence hall. Coverage is provided world wide, including property placed in storage. Your property will be insured for theft, vandalism or malicious mischief, accidental discharge of water or steam, damage while being transported, fire, lightning, smoke, and other hazards. This includes protection for personal computers, televisions, electronics, furniture, clothing, appliances, etc.

While you may think that nothing will ever happen to you, tragedies can occur. In May 2009, two students lost all their property due to an apartment building fire on Oak Street in Binghamton. Thankfully no one was hurt, but to lose nearly everything that belongs to you is a very difficult experience.

The insurance pays the full replacement value for the property, or the cost of repairing it. The policy covers just about any kind of property except:

Coverage for theftlosses only, of such items as jewelry, watches and gold, is limited to $1,000 per loss.

The information may be found on line at http://www.haylor.com/student Once you reach that page, click on “personal property protection.” You may view or print an on-line informational brochure. You may also purchase the policy on line. If you have any questions about the policy after reading the information, call Haylor, Freyer and Coon toll free at 1-866-535-0456.

7. Does a F-1 or J-1 Student Need a Social Security Number Before Beginning Employment?

Most students in F-1 or J-1 status are aware that in order to apply for a U.S. Social Security Number, you must be able to present proof of employment (such as a department funding letter or some other letter verifying employment). But staff in the ISSS have been asked if the reverse is true, meaning, do F-1 or J-1 students need to have a Social Security Number in hand before work can commence.

The answer is no! A Social Security Number is not required to begin employment. However, once employment has commenced, the employee must apply for the Social Security Number and report their number to the employer as soon as the number is received, so that the employer can update the record for tax reporting purposes.

Approximately 44,900 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

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