ISSS-BU News 18 May 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

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Editor’s Note:  Next Monday, May 25, 2009 is Memorial Day, a U.S. Federal holiday.  All University offices and facilities will be closed.  Locally, district schools are not in session, and banks and post offices are also closed.

ISSS-BU News will not publish on May 25, 2009.  The next edition will be on June 1, 2009.

CONTENTS:

  1. Message from Ellen Badger, Director of ISSS
  2. Does the ISSS Have a Certificate For You?
  3. Fifty-Ninth Annual BU Commencement Held This Weekend
  4. Summer Hours Begin in the ISSS
  5. ISSS Staff Not Available Thursday Morning, May 21
  6. Latest Information on H-1B Cap Filings
  7. No International Coffee Hours This Summer

1. Message from Ellen Badger, Director of ISSS 

It was wonderful to see students, family members and friends at Friday night's International Student Graduation Reception!  We hope that everyone enjoyed the evening.  On behalf of the ISSS staff, I want to thank our co-sponsors: The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations and The Office of International Programs for helping to make this event possible.

My thanks to Nadiye Ozlem Erdil and Vice President for Student Affairs Brian Rose for their timely and warm remarks.  I also want to thank Dan Polhamus, Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations for providing alumni pins and participating in the presentation of certificates to our international students.

2. Does The ISSS Have a Certificate For You?

A number of students who had indicated their intention to attend Friday's International Student Graduation Reception have certificates of achievement ready for pick up in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.  The ISSS will be sending e-mail messages early this week to students who did not pick up their certificates at the Graduation Reception.

Students who were at the reception and were informed that a certificate would be ready in the ISSS this week are asked to stop by beginning Tuesday.  Thanks.

3. Fifty-Ninth Annual BU Commencement Held This Weekend

Congratulations to the approximately 2900 Binghamton University students who received their degrees at Saturday and Sunday's commencement exercises at the Events Center.  The ISSS will be posting photos from both the International Student Graduation Reception and the Graduate School’s Commencement Exercises soon.

4. Summer Hours Begin in the ISSS

The University is now on “summer hours” with most offices on campus open for most or all of the day from 8:00am to 4:00pm weekdays.  The ISSS is open weekdays from 9:30am to 3:45pm, except Thursdays when we are open from 11:30am to 3:45pm.  We look forward to seeing you during the summer months.

5. ISSS Staff Not Available Thursday Morning, May 21

Normally, ISSS staff are available beginning at 11:30am on Thursdays, when the office doors open.  However, on May 21, ISSS staff will be unavailable until 12 noon, while they attend a meeting.  ISSS apologizes for any inconvenience.

6. Latest Information on H-1B Cap Filings

The most recent H-1B visa update was on Monday May 11.

USCIS reports that applications continue to be processed, but there has been little change to the numbers reported a week ago.  Approximately 45,000 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

7. No International Coffee Hours This Summer

ISSS-BU News reminds our readers that the monthly international coffee hours are suspended for the months of June, July and August and will resume in September. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services looks forward to welcoming everyone back to the first coffee hour of the Fall semester, which will take place on Friday, September 4.


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