ISSS-BU News  30 March 2009   ISSS-BU News

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

Visit ISSS on the Web!   http://isss.binghamton.edu

Editor’s Note:  Spring Break begins at the end of this week, following your last class Friday, April 3.  Classes resume on Monday, April 13. University Offices, including the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, are open during Spring break.  If you are traveling away from Binghamton, even within the United States, please be sure to have your passport and visa documents with you.  Best wishes to all our readers for a pleasant Spring break!

CONTENTS:
1. National Holidays for April
2. Register for NY-Alert Emergency Messaging System
3. Early Registration for Fall 2009 Now Taking Place
4. Inter-Faith Practice for World Soul Healing, Peace and Enlightenment
5. Next International Coffee Hour is Friday, April 3
6. H-1B Visa Issues are at the Forefront This Week
7. Updates from the Career Development Center
8. Live Concert by The Temptations April 5th To Celebrate Motown’s 50th Anniversary
9. International Student Graduation Reception Friday, May 15
10. Summer Job Fair in Japan for Japanese Bilinguals

1. National Holidays for April

The following countries are celebrating national holidays in April

2. Register for NY-Alert Emergency Messaging System

Binghamton University participates in the SUNY NY-Alert program to provide students, staff and faculty emergency messages during critical incidents. Registration is voluntary and is done through the BU-Brain portal. You can register up e-mail addresses, phone numbers to receive text messages, phone numbers to receive voice messages and a phone number to receive fax messages. The system will only be used for essential communication during critical incidents and will not be used for other purposes. If you are not currently registered for NY-Alert, you are strongly encouraged to do so to stay informed during urgent situations. Visit http://bubrain.binghamton.edu , log in and click on NY-Alert: Sign Up or Manage Your Account.

3. Early Registration for Fall 2009 Now Taking Place

The Registrar’s Office has posted the Fall 2009 Schedule of Classes on BU Brain It can be viewed as a grid schedule of classes and as a detailed schedule of classes. The online schedule is the most up to date and accurate source of course information and is the only published version of the Schedule of Classes.

Fall 2009 Pre-Registration began on March 23, 2009 and ends on Friday, May 8th.  For general information on registration times visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/registration.htm  For your specific registration time for Fall 2009 pre-registration, go to BU Brain

Students with outstanding financial obligations and students who haven't complied with health requirements to the Health Service office will be blocked from registering. Students can also view their account balances and pay any outstanding debts through BU Brain Please note: release of financial holds will not occur until the next business day.

Accessing your schedule: You can view and print your schedule online by logging into the BU BRAIN. Room assignments shown online are the most accurate and up to date, but know that these assignments are subject to change.

Credit limit: The maximum number of credits you may register for are listed by student level and term at http://registrar.binghamton.edu/registration.htm  These limits include HPEY or MUSP credits and are enforced regardless of GPA. If you seek to register for more than the stated limit, please follow your school's procedure for petitioning for an overload (see http://bulletin.binghamton.edu).

4. Inter-Faith Practice for World Soul Healing, Peace and Enlightenment

You are cordially invited to join The Inter-faith practice for World Soul Healing, Peace and Enlightenment Movement.

The group will gather together to sing Soul Songs, participate in Soul dancing and receive healing and blessing.  You may wish to dress in comfortable clothing (trousers), so you can have more freedom in the movement. The movement is a very low impact and gentle, so could be applied to every health condition.

Each Thursday:
From 5:00 – 6:00pm (20 min Soul Songs /chanting/singing + 20 min of Soul dancing + 20 minutes for Blessing & healing)
Academic Building B; Room 347
Third floor (Decker School of Nursing)

The benefits of joining this divine chanting gathering are:
To chant is to heal and rejuvenate yourself
To chant is to offer healing and rejuvenation to your loved ones
To chant is to offer healing to humanity
To chant is to offer healing to all souls
To chant is to purify your soul, heart, mind and body in order to transform your life and enlighten your soul
To chant is to offer world peace

The inter-faith offering and receiving the Divine Healing and Blessing doesn’t require any specific set of believes or attitudes, apart from making a request to Divine for healing.  Therefore participation is open to people from all religions, as well to those who declare themselves spiritual but not religious.

Please contact Dr. Malgosia E. Krasuska, Associate Professor, Decker School of Nursing ifyou have any questions. Phone: (607) 777-2762, E-mail: krasuska@binghamton.edu

5. Next International Coffee Hour is Friday, April 3

Good company! Free food! An opportunity to gather prior to the start of Spring break and visit with friends and classmates!

This month's International Coffee Hour will be held on Friday, April 3 from 3:30-5:00pm in the President’s Reception Room, Anderson Center for the Performing Arts. This month's sponsor is the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations.

The President’s Reception Room is located behind the main box office of the Anderson Center, at the end of the corridor.

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. Each coffee hour has free hot and cold beverages and cookies, sponsored by a different department on campus.

6. H-1B Visa Issues are at the Forefront This Week

Our readers who are familiar with the H-1B “specialty occupations” visa know that Wednesday April 1, 2009 will be the first day that H-1B petitions subject to the visa “cap” or limit can be submitted by employers to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to hire foreign nationals with bachelor’s degrees or higher for the new federal fiscal year.  The fiscal year starts October 1, 2009.  So, it is on April 1 that all “cap-subject” H-1B petitions with start dates of October 1, 2009 will begin to be processed by USCIS.

The April 1 date is being watched closely, because many predict that the number of H-1B visas will be used up very quickly.  Those “cap-subject” applications received on the first five business days starting April 1 (for 2009, April 1-7) will be placed into a random selection process.  USCIS will publish an announcement once all available H-1B visas that are “cap-subject” are accounted for.  For full details, please refer to last week’s ISSS-BU News, which featured an article on this important topic:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/news/isssbu2009/Mar232009.html#eight

7. Updates from the Career Development Center

Resource Of The Week: Green Collar Hiring

What it is: A collection of eco-job websites, green job listings, sustainable business releases, and other news items covering the various green job industries. Includes information such as the top 10 green jobs, news releases, and job postings.

Why we love it:  The BU community, as a whole, is very interested in “Green” initiatives – this website provides resources to help students explore career opportunities that balance socio-economic needs with environmental sustainability.

How to access:  Green Collar Hiring is linked on the CDC website, but can be accessed directly at http://www.greencollarhiring.com/

Undergraduate Students: Get Academic Credit For Your Summer 2009 Internship!:

If you are interested in receiving credit for your internship, registering through CDC's Academic Internship Programs is one way to gain that credit. Students interested in obtaining internship credit through the CDC MUST attend one of the advising sessions: last scheduled session: April 2 (for complete details see Upcoming CDC Programs below or the full CDC program calendar at http://cdc.binghamton.edu/programs.html ).  International students in F-1 or J-1 status are reminded to visit the ISSS to determine if you will need employment authorization before beginning any internship.

Upcoming CDC Programs

eRecruiting: Over 250 Jobs/Internships Are Posted And Accepting Applications!

Employers Are Still Hiring!!  Apply Today!  The Career Development Center has over 250 positions listed on eRecruiting, and new opportunities are posted daily! Students may view and apply for positions through their eRecruiting account. All matriculated students have a personal eRecruiting account.

Current Sample Job/Internship Titles:

8. Live Concert by The Temptations April 5th To Celebrate Motown’s 50th Anniversary

Groove to the Motown sound on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. when the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts presents The Temptations, featuring original founding member, Otis Williams on the Osterhout Concert Theater stage.

Formed in the early 1960’s, The Temptations are known for their original choreography, distinct harmonies and on-stage suits. The group holds an amazing record of four Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and fourteen R&B number-one singles plus three Grammy Awards, including one for “Ear Resistable” in 2000 which netted the group a multitude of new fans. The group was inducted into the Vocal Hall of Fame in 1999 and in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine listed them among the Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

While there have been many Temptation voices heard over their forty-plus-year history, The Temp sound is still going strong with fresh, new sounds while still remaining true to their roots. Founding member, Otis Williams had this to say, “our unity is tighter, our sound brighter and our popularity greater.”  The current Temptation line-up consists of Otis Williams, Terry Weeks, Bruce Williamson, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon. 

What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Motown sound than to the soulful sounds of The Temptations. Inside reserved seats: $45. For tickets and information, call 607-777-ARTS or visit http://anderson.binghamton.edu

9. International Student Graduation Reception Friday, May 15

Students who are graduating, and exchange students completing their programs may wish to mark their calendars now for the 23rd annual International Student Graduation Reception, taking place Friday, May 15 at 7:00pm in the University Union Susquehanna Room. This is the Friday of commencement weekend. 

Invitations will be sent by e-mail in several weeks, but we wanted to alert our readers who are graduating. If you graduated in December 2008 and are returning to campus for the May 16 and 17 Commencement Exercises, and would like to receive an invitation to the International Student Graduation Reception on May 15, please let ISSS know by sending an e-mail message with your current e-mail address to: isss@binghamton.edu

The information provided to us by the Registrar's Office only lists Spring 2009 graduates, but we know some Fall 2008 graduates will return for the ceremonies, and we want to be sure we don't miss anyone! Also, if you will graduate in Summer 2009 and would like to attend the International Student Graduation Reception on May 15, please follow the instructions above.

10. Summer Job Fair in Japan for Japanese Bilinguals

Mainichi Communications announces its annual career fair in Japan, this summer, for Japanese bi-lingual speakers.  Details appear below.  Last year, 144 companies and more than 5,000 students participated.

Mynavi Global Career EXPO 2009/ "Tokyo Summer"
(Job Fair for Japanese-speaking Students!)

Date & Time:
Tuesday June 30, 2009  10:00-17:30
Wednesday July 1, 2009   10:00-17:30
Place: Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo, Japan)
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Industrial backgrounds of attending companies (2008)
Adverting/ Architecture/ Automobile/ Chemical/ Consulting
/ Electronic/ Energy/Entertainment/ Financial/ Food/ Insurance
/ IT/ Manufacturing/ Media/ NGO/ NPO/ Publication/ Real Estate
/ Research/ Trade/Travel etc.
------------------
Details (in Japanese)：
http://global.mynavi.jp/contents/event/expo2009/tokyo_s/index.html
------------------
Questions?
Mainichi Communications USA Inc.
1 (212) 867-7230
nosawa@usa.mycom.co.jp
(Naomi Osawa)

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