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: Did you remember to set your clocks one hour ahead before you went to sleep on Saturday night? Sunday began “Daylight Savings Time” where we will enjoy an additional one hour of daylight each day.

CONTENTS:

1. National Holidays for April
2. GSO Information Forum Today, April 3
3. Remaining Schedule for VITA Volunteers One-on-One State Income Tax Assistance
4. Are You an Undergraduate Student Interested in Getting a Summer Internship?
5. Important Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues Wednesday, April 5
6. Early Registration for Fall 2006 Begins Wednesday, April 5
7. Next International Coffee Hour With Special Recognition Friday, April 7
8. International Student Graduation Reception May 13
9. Immigration Legislation in U.S. Congress

1. National Holidays for April

The following countries are celebrating national holidays in April

2. GSO Information Forum Today, April 3

On Monday, April 3, the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) will be holding an information forum and a chance to meet candidates at 4:00p.m. in the GSO Lounge (first floor of Library Tower, near the elevators). If you'd like to get more informed about the elections and who is running for next year's positions, please come!

3. Remaining Schedule for VITA Volunteers One-on-One State Income Tax Assistance

Although there are no more income tax workshops being offered this Spring, CINTAX continues to be available for those who need to file their non-resident federal income tax forms. The deadline for filing income tax forms is April 17, 2006! If you have not yet obtained your CINTAX password, you may do so by going to the following link: http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/cintax.htm

Below is the remaining schedule for individual income tax assistance with non-resident New York State tax forms, offered by members of the BU undergraduate Accounting Honors. The Accounting students have received training through the Volunteers in Taxpayer Assistance (VITA) program, and will offer their services at no charge.

VITA student volunteers will be available on the following days and times:

Please note that the VITA Volunteers cannot provide assistance with the Federal Forms (you should use CINTAX for that purpose), only the New York State Income Tax Forms. If you go to a VITA Volunteer session, bring your CINTAX -completed federal forms (1040NR EZ or 1040 NR) and any W-2s, 1042-S, 1099-G, and 1099 MISC forms with you.

Also, remember that not all students need to file New York State Income Tax Non-Resident forms. Such forms need only be filed if New York State tax was withheld on your W-2 wage and tax statement (as reported in box 17) and you would like a refund, OR if your total earnings as reported on your W-2, 1042-S and 1099 MISC are greater than $7500 (single) or $6500 (married).

For the most up-to-date information on services available to help you with your income tax forms, visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/taxseminars.html

4. Are You an Undergraduate Student Interested in Getting a Summer Internship?

Are you ready for life after BU?
Have you acquired some professional experience in the field of your choice?
How marketable are you?
Use your time this summer to build your professional network, enhance your resume and gain valuable professional experience!

Come to the final Off Campus College advising session to learn how to obtain an internship this summer: Monday, April 3, 2006 5:00pm, University Union West Room 324
http://occ.binghamton.edu

All OCC internships are for credit only
Summer internships may take place anywhere in the United States. Students may receive 2 or 4 credits for the summer internship course.
For further information please contact OCC at 777-4273 .

Remember as well that international students in F-1 or J-1 status must be authorized for all off campus internships. Come to the ISSS for additional information.

5. Important Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues Wednesday, April 5

What may be the most important immigration workshop offered this year will be held Wednesday, April 5 at 4:00pm in Science 2 Room 144. Will you be seeking employment in the United States after graduation? Do you have questions regarding H-1B visas, labor certification, PERM and employment-based permanent residency? Are you confused about the announcement that the H-1B “cap” has been reached for fiscal year 2006, and there will be no new H-1B visa availability until October, but applications are now being processed for October 1 start dates?

What will happen to those 20,000 extra H-1B visa slots for those with U.S. master's degrees or higher? You do not want to miss this workshop!

Learn about your options under U.S. immigration law from special guest and featured speaker, nationally known immigration attorney, professor of law and author Stephen Yale-Loehr from the law firm of Miller Mayer in Ithaca, New York. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and the Career Development Center.

6. Early Registration for Fall 2006 Begins Wednesday, April 5

Current students will be able to advance register for Fall 2005 classes beginning April 5 and ending May 9, 2006. To read the complete announcement from the Registrar's Office, including a schedule of registration starting times, visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/newinfo.html#regdates

Schedule of Classes

The Schedule of Classes for Fall 2006 is now available online at http://busi.binghamton.edu/schedule.html 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.

Outstanding Obligations and Missing Health Forms Will Block Students

Students with outstanding financial obligations and students who haven't submitted a health form to the Health Service office will be blocked from registering. Students can also view their account balances and pay any outstanding debts through the BUSI Web Center: http://busi.binghamton.edu .

BUSI Hours of Operation

Registration on BUSI will begin on April 5th. The system will be available from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m. (22 hrs. per day) seven days a week until Early Registration ends on May 9.

Students can access the registration system at the computer pods (providing a class is not in session), or any other computer with online access using the BUSI Web Center or BUSI Classic (downloading BUICK may be required). To log in you will need to enter your Student ID (or Social Security number) and your 4-digit PAC (Personal Access Code located on the back of your student ID card).

Registration Starting Times

Students are assigned times for early registration according to their total cumulative credits, including in-progress courses. Students can check their total cumulative credits by going to the BUSI web center http://busi.binghamton.edu and clicking on “My Grades and Credits.” For scheduled starting times, visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/newinfo.html#regdates

7. Next International Coffee Hour With Special Recognition Friday, April 7

Good company! Free food! An opportunity to gather after Spring break and visit with friends and classmates!

This month's International Coffee Hour will be held on Friday, April 7 from 3:30-5:00pm in the
University Union Old Union Hall.

As a special feature of this month's Coffee Hour, we will be honoring the leadership of the ten 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
Turkish Cultural Association

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.

The sponsor of this month's International Coffee Hour is the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations.

8. International Student Graduation Reception May 13

Students who are graduating, and exchange students completing their programs may wish to mark their calendars now for the 19th annual International Student Graduation Reception, taking place Saturday, May 13 at 7:00pm in the University Union Mandela Room. 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 2005 and are returning to campus for the May 20 and 21 commencement exercises, and would like to receive an invitation to the Graduation Reception on May 13, please let ISSS know by sending an e-mail message with your current address to: isss@binghamton.edu

The information provided to us by the Registrar's Office only lists Spring 2006 graduates, but we know some Fall 2005 graduates will return for the ceremonies, and we want to be sure we don't miss anyone! Also, if you will graduate in Summer 2006 and would like to attend the International Student Graduation Reception on May 13, please follow the instructions above.

9. Immigration Legislation in U.S. Congress

There has been much written both in the U.S. media and abroad about the immigration legislation currently being debated in the Senate. Earlier this winter, the House of Representatives passed some very punitive immigration legislation.

The immigration debate in the United States is highly politicized, and any new legislation could potentially alter current U.S. immigration policies, and how immigration law is enforced. Some proposals are highly punitive, and some are very beneficial.

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