ISSS-BU News 21 September 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:  Health Insurance ID Cards:
Undergraduate international students should watch their Binghamton.edu email accounts for a message about downloading and printing their health insurance/prescription discount ID card for the Fall 2009 semester.  The subject of the email message will be “SUNY/Health Insurance ID Card.” The message will come from the health insurance provider, HTHWorldwide.com  Graduate international students enrolled in the HTH Worldwide Plan will receive their email message next week. We will post a message on ISSS-BU News once we know that those emails are ready to be sent.

CONTENTS:

1. International Student Grant-In-Aid Now Accepting Applications
2. “Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama” Lecture Monday, September 21
3. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for Employment Questions
4. New Walk-In Hours for International Health Insurance Begin September 29!
5. News from the Career Development Center
6. Did You Forget to Turn In Your I-94 Card During Your Last Trip Abroad?
7. Planning To Visit Canada?
8. International Students and Arrests

1. International Student Grant-In-Aid Now Accepting Applications

Each semester, awards of up to $500 are made to a small number of international students who have a severe financial need. To be eligible, students must be in F-1 or J-1 status, have been in attendance at Binghamton University at least one year (began their studies at Binghamton University in Fall 2008 or earlier), document need, have no outstanding obligations to the university, and be full-time students in good standing.

Some students may find themselves in financial difficulty through no fault of their own.  Examples can include reduced support from a sponsor, or unanticipated expenses.  Applicants are strongly advised to carefully document their financial situation when submitting the application form, as there are always more students seeking assistance than there are funds.

Applications are available now in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and must be submitted no later than Monday, October 5, 2009.

2. “Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama” Lecture Monday, September 21

A lecture by Professor David J. Garrow from the University of Cambridge will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, in the Anderson Center Chamber Hall. Garrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is currently writing a full-length biography of President Barack Obama. This will be the first scholarly biography of Obama based on extensive research on three continents. In his talk, Garrow will discuss the president’s formative years, his rise to political power and how biographical analysis can help us understand Obama, the president. A reception in the Anderson Center Reception Room will follow the lecture. For more information, contact Lee Nesslage at nesslage@binghamton.edu or call 607-777-4278.

3. ISSS Reminds Readers of Walk-In Hours for Employment Questions

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services reminds readers of out Walk-In Hours for Employment questions and applications, every Tuesday from 1:30pm to 3:15pm at the ISSS office. First come, first served.

During these times, you can:

• Ask a quick question about CPT or OPT (5 minutes or less!)
• Submit a CPT application for review  (Is it complete? What’s missing?
• Ask questions on CPT course registration
• Ask questions about your OPT application
• Get help with choosing an OPT start-date
• Have your OPT application reviewed before mailing it to USCIS

Did You Know? Employment information and all necessary forms are found on our website at the following link: http://isss.binghamton.edu/emp/index.html

*  If your question is complicated and requires more than 5 minutes to answer, then you will need to make an appointment by visiting or calling the ISSS office at (607) 777-2510.

Webinars on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are available 24/7 at the following link: http://isss.binghamton.edu/emp/empWebinar.html

4. New Walk-In Hours for International Health Insurance Begin September 29!

Beginning Tuesday, September 29, walk-in hours for International Student Health Insurance will change to every Tuesday from 10:15am–12:00pm.  Please come to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to check-in.   You will be seen on a first come, first served basis.  Many students have requested morning walk-in hours, so we hope this day and time change will be helpful.

During these times, you can ask questions:*

• About a medical bill
• About a collection notice
• About how to use your health insurance
• About renewing your health insurance
• About insurance fee adjustments (you must have already completed the on-line fee adjustment form at http://isss.binghamton.edu)

Did You Know?  Information about Health Insurance and filing claims can be found on our website: http://isss.binghamton.edu/health/index.html

*If your question is complicated and requires more than 5 minutes to answer, then you will need to make an appointment by visiting or calling the main office at (607) 777-2510.

For this week, Health Insurance Walk-in hours will take place Wednesday, September 23, from 1:30pm to 3:15pm.

5. News From the Career Development Center

 Contents:

• Graduate School Fair, September 22 & Law Day, September 23.

• Upcoming Programs: CDC Internship Program Information Sessions, Writing Cover Letters, Especially for International Students: How to Get an Internship/ Job in the US
  Career Development Center Internship (CDCI) Program: information sessions for SPRING semester internships

• Credentials Transitioning to Interfolio

• On-Campus Recruiting Announcements: APPLICATION DEADLINES APPROACHING! 

• The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

Graduate School Fair & Law Day

The Graduate School Fair and Law Day only happen once a year! Take this opportunity to speak with representatives from graduate and professional programs!

Graduate School Fair
Tuesday, September 22
11:00 am-2:30 pm
Events Center – OCCT “blue bus” shuttle will run between the Union & the West Gym
A full list of over 130 registered graduate programs can be viewed through the Career Development Center website.

Law Day
Wednesday, September 23
11:30 am-2:45 pm
Events Center – OCCT “blue bus” shuttle will run between the Union & the West Gym
Law Panel 3:00, TAU Bearcat Room
A full list of over 80 registered organizations can be viewed through the Career Development Center website. 

Upcoming Programs  UU=University Union UUW = University Union West
CDC = Career Development Center South, Library South, Ground Floor

Career Development Center Internship (CDCI) Program

The CDC Internship (CDCI) Program is the largest credit-bearing internship program at Binghamton University.  Faculty and staff working with students seeking internships are encouraged to direct them to visit the Career Development Center in LSG 500 or visit the CDC website.  Students are required to attend an information session the semester prior to interning.  International students on F or J visas interested in an undergraduate internship should consult with staff in the ISSS to determine if employment authorization may be required.
CDCI Information Sessions: UUW = University Union West
·        Monday, September 21, 12:00pm-1:00pm, UUW 324
·        Monday, September 21, 3:30pm-4:30pm, UUW 324
·        Thursday, September 24, 3:00pm-4:00pm, UUW 325
·        Thursday, September 24, 10:00am-11:00am, UUW 325
·        Thursday, September 24, 3:00pm-4:00pm, UUW 325
·        Monday, September 28, 4:45pm-5:45pm, UUW 325
·        Tuesday, September 29, 4:30pm-5:30pm, UUW 324
·        Wednesday, September 24, 12:00pm-1:00pm, UUW 324
·        Wednesday, September 24, 3:30pm-4:30pm, UUW 324

Credentials Transitioning To Interfolio

The CDC is pleased to recommend Interfolio to provide Binghamton University students and alumni an efficient and paperless system to manage references files.  For complete information on this change, please visit the CDC Credentials website.

 On-Campus Recruiting Announcements: Application Deadlines Approaching

The first round of deadlines is approaching!! Visit eRecruiting today! Students may view and apply for positions through their eRecruiting account. All matriculated students have an account. STUDENTS GRADUATING IN MAY 2010 SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN FALL 2009 RECRUITING! Employers recruiting on campus for full-time positions in the fall semester are generally seeking candidates to begin in the summer or fall of 2010!

Students are encouraged to also attend employer information sessions to learn about internship and full-time employment opportunities as well as gather general information about the organization.

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship is a competitive national program that provides college graduates the opportunity to work in Washington, DC, with a public-interest organization focusing on international security issues.  The program has awarded 120 fellowships since its inception in 1987.  The fellowship is offered twice yearly, in the spring and fall.  It lasts from six to nine months and provides a stipend, health insurance, and travel costs to Washington. 

Scoville Fellows may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and advocacy in support of the goals of their host organization and may attend coalition meetings, policy briefings, and Congressional hearings.  They have written fact sheets, letters to the editor, op-eds, articles, briefing books and reports, organized talks and conferences, and been interviewed as experts by the media.  Many former Scoville Fellows work for U.S. and international NGOs, the Federal Government, and academia, or attend graduate school in political science or international relations, following their fellowships. 
 
The next application deadline is October 5 for the Spring 2010 Fellowship.  This fellowship is open to both US citizens and international students; international students must have work authorization to participate.  Applications are accepted from both undergraduate and graduate students.

Please encourage those interested in peace and security issues to visit our website at www.scoville.org

6. Did You Forget to Turn In Your I-94 Card During Your Last Trip Abroad?

If you returned home with your Form I-94 (white) Departure Record in your passport, it is possible that your departure was not recorded properly.

If you departed by a commercial air or sea carrier (airlines or cruise ships), your departure from the United States can be independently verified, and it is not necessary to take any further action, although holding on to your outbound (from the United States) boarding pass - if you still have it - can help expedite your re-entry next time you come back to the United States.

If you departed by land, private vessel or private plane, you will need to take steps to correct the record.  If you do not validate your timely departure from the United States, or, if you cannot reasonably prove you departed within the time frame given to you when your entered, the next time you apply for admission to the United States, CBP may conclude you remained in the United States beyond your authorized stay.  If this happens, your visa may be subject to cancellation or you may be returned immediately to your foreign point of origin.

The US Department of Customs and Border Protection provides specific information for mailing the I-94 card back to the U.S. for processing if you departed the US by land, private vessel, or private plane.  They also provide instructions for a participant in the Visa Waiver program for tourists who returned home with their (green) Form I-94W card.  We have taken that information and placed it on our website, in the “Publications” section, for convenient viewing.  The article may be viewed at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/pubs/forgoturnI94.html

7. Planning To Visit Canada?
 
The Fall can be a popular time for students to take a trip to Canada.

Please visit the following link for information on Canadian Entry Visa Requirements:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/travel/canada.html

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services has paper copies of the Canadian Entry Visa Application and instructions.

Canada does not require visitors from all countries to obtain entry visas (called temporary resident visas), but there is a lengthy list of countries whose citizens will first need to obtain visas before they can enter Canada.  The link above will take you to the list. In New York State, Canadian entry visas are issued at the Canadian consulates in Buffalo and New York City.

Students in F or J status who need to apply for entry visas are required by Canadian Immigration to obtain a letter of certification signed by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.  In addition, the travel signature on page 3 of the I-20 (page 1 of the DS-2019) must be less than one year old.  Students will need to visit the ISSS to have the signatures on their forms updated.  Letters of certification may be requested from the ISSS by visiting or by filling out an on line form at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/LOC.htm

If you know that you will travel to Canada soon, do not wait until the last minute to have your I-20 signed or letter of certification prepared.  Instead, come to the ISSS well in advance of your trip.

8. International Students and Arrests

Although it is not a pleasant subject, there are a few situations where an international student might be arrested in the United States and charged with a crime.  Common misdemeanor or felony arrests can include theft, drunk driving, shoplifting (stealing goods from a store without paying for them) and drug possession (with or without intent to sell).

The ISSS has published an article on its website that discusses the consequences such arrests can create with a student’s U.S. immigration status, even if the charges themselves are dismissed or reduced.  The article may be viewed at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/pubs/intstudarrst.html

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