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: The Office of International Student and Scholar Services had hoped to launch access to CINTAX, the income tax preparation software, last week. However, due to an unanticipated delay, the announcement has been pushed back to this week. Watch your e-mail later this week for more information. Also, there are major changes to the New York State income tax forms for 2005. See the article below.

1. National Holidays for February

The following countries are celebrating national holidays during the month of February.

2. First Academic Success Workshop for Undergraduates is Tuesday, February 7

The first Academic Success Workshop for undergraduate international students will take place on Tuesday, February 7, 2006 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in Lecture Hall 13. There's still time to pre-register! Just send an e-mail to isss@binghamton.edu Use "Academic Success Workshop" as the subject. Include your name, field of study (if known) and your e-mail address.

 If you have questions about:

• Classroom Participation
• Understanding Course Readings
• How to Get Help with Coursework 
• Tutoring and Test Preparation

Find out about:

• Academic Support Programs
• How to Manage Your Time
• Tips on Managing Reading Assignments in English When It Is Your Second Language
• How You Can Practice Speaking English
• How to Learn What Your Professors Expect of You

Ask your questions and share your concerns with staff from the ISSS, Discovery Center, the Writing Center and a Round Table of International Students.

Here is what a current BU international undergraduate student had to say about last Fall's workshop series:

“Through these workshops, I was able to obtain first-hand advice from faculty and staff on how to approach class discussions, assignments, and papers. In addition, I received important information about the numerous resources available on campus, such as, the Writing Center and the Discovery Program, which are designed to help students achieve excellence in their studies. More importantly, I had the opportunity to meet with and talk to graduate students, who had gone through similar experiences, and obtain from them, useful tips on time management. It was comforting to know that I was not alone! “

The Academic Success Workshop series is sponsored by: International Student and Scholar Services, Dual Diploma Program, The Discovery Center, and The Writing Center.

3. Snow is in the Air! How Can You Find Out if Classes are Cancelled?

Last year at this time, ISSS-BU News featured an article on how January 2005 had been the snowiest January on record, with very cold temperatures. What a difference a year makes! January 2006 was unusually mild, with very little snow. But, snow is in the air. Today begins the third week of classes, and many students wonder what the University procedures are for classes when the weather is inclement.

As a State facility, Binghamton University can only be closed by order of the Governor of New York, but university presidents are authorized to cancel classes and recommend that all but essential employees not report to work in some situations. Unless weather conditions are so severe that the University issues special instructions regarding opening and remaining open, classes are in session. In the event of severe conditions, the University will make announcements on its website at: http://www.binghamton.edu/home/updates/snowline.html and on its special “snow line,” 777-7669 (777-SNOW).

Please note that on many days when local school districts close their schools due to weather conditions, the University will remain open, so be sure to check the website or call the "SNOW" line.

4. Are You Maintaining a Full Time Course Load?

The ISSS would like to take this opportunity to remind students in F-1 and J-1 status that you are required to be registered for a full-time course load each semester.

Minimum Full Time Course Loads:

• Exchange Students: 12 credits per semester
• Undergraduates: 12 credits per semester
• Graduate Master's Level 1: 12 credits per semester
• Graduate Master's Level 2 (completion of at least 24 credits): 9 credits per semester
• Graduate Master's students who need only thesis or project to complete their program:
  1 credit or more per semester that can be certified as full-time by department. Such students, if they are registered for less than 9 credits, must submit the Graduate School's "Certification of Full-Time Status for Students Not Receiving Tuition Scholarships" form to their department each semester for filing with the Graduate School. This form may be found at the following website: http://gradschool.binghamton.edu/FTCForm.pdf
• Graduate PhD students: 9 credits per semester
• Graduate PhD students admitted to candidacy or who have pre-dissertation or dissertation research: 1 credit or more per semester that can be certified as full-time by the department. Such students, if they are registered for less than 9 credits, must submit the Graduate School's "Certification of Full-Time Status for Students Not Receiving Tuition Scholarships" form to their department each semester for filing with the Graduate School. This form may be found at the following website: http://gradschool.binghamton.edu/FTCForm.pdf
  
  There are some very limited exceptions to the full-time course requirement. See the next article, below. For complete information on full-time registration, stop by the ISSS to obtain a handout on Rules for Maintaining a Full-Time Course Load, or view the handout on the ISSS website at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/imm/rulesForMaintainingFullTimeCourseLoad.htm

5. Be Sure You Have Permission in Advance to Take Less Than a Full-Time Course Load, If Applicable to You

There are very few exceptions to the full time course load rule for students in F-1 status. Those exceptions include academic difficulty, medical condition, and completion of study, and there are strict criteria for each. In every instance, you must obtain PRIOR authorization from the ISSS. Only once you receive this authorization from the ISSS can you then drop the course. A F-1 student who drops below a full course of study without the prior approval of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services will be considered out of status, and must be reported in SEVIS as having dropped below a full-time course load without authorization.

There is a special form for each of the three exceptions, available in the ISSS and as a downloadable document on the ISSS website, visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/pubs/forms.htm Each form must be completed by the student (and in the case of reduction in course load due to academic difficulty or due to completion of study, completed by the student's academic advisor) and approved by the ISSS before the course may be dropped.

6. Dependent Visa Workshop February 8

Interested in inviting your spouse and/or dependent children to join you in the United States? Attend a Dependent Visa Workshop!

Amelia Shafer, International Student Advisor at ISSS has scheduled a Dependent Visa Workshop for students who are interested in inviting their spouse and/or dependent children to join them in the United States.

Wednesday, February 8th at 2:30pm in the Hinman Commons Room (Building B of Nelson A. Rockefeller Center). The session will last about an hour.

If you would like to attend, please pre-register by sending an email to isss@binghamton.edu In the subject line write: Dependent Visa Workshop and in the message provide us with your preferred email address.

If you are unable to attend the session, please contact the ISSS at 777-2510 to set up an individual appointment with Amelia Shafer. She will be happy to assist you.

7. Film Screening and Discussion February 8

Professor Dora Polachek of the Department of Romance Languages will present a film screening and discussion titled “Is Paris Burning? Rethinking La Haine ” (1995 96 minutes). The screening and discussion will take place Wednesday, February 8 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm in Fine Arts Building Room 258. Included will be an introduction to the director and his film, an overview of the 2005 riots in France, a screening of the film, and an audience discussion of issues raised by the film that relate to the challenges of integrating cultural minorities within the context of French secular republicanism.

8. CDC Internship and Job Fair February 9

The Career Development Center's Internship & Job Fair is next Thursday, February 9th from 11:00-3:30 in the University Union Mandela Room.  All majors are encouraged to attend.  Representatives from over 70 non-profit, government, and for-profit organizations will be available to speak about internship and post-graduate opportunities.  A complete listing of registered organizations can be found on the CDC website at http://binghamton.erecruiting.com/stu/cf_details?fhnd=1672  Bring copies of your resume and dress professionally!

9. Web Links for Foreign Embassies and Consulates in the United States

Do you need to contact your home country's Embassy or Consulate here in the United States? Do you need to contact another country's Embassy or Consulate here in the United States? These useful links will help you. The home page of the embassy generally includes contact information, and links to the consulates.

Link to Foreign Embassies in the United States
http://www.state.gov/misc/10125.htm

Alternate link to Foreign Embassies in the United States
http://www.embassy.org/embassies/

For students from Taiwan:
Link to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices in the United States:
http://www.tecro.org/ (in Washington, D.C.)
http://www.taipei.org/ (in New York City)

10. Income Tax Information: Significant Revisions to New York State Tax Filing

The ISSS hopes to announce the arrival of federal and state income tax forms sometime next week. We will publish an announcement in ISSS-BU News once all tax forms are available.

Keep in mind that the deadline for filing tax forms is April 17, 2006, since April 15 falls on a Saturday this year.

New York State has made some substantial changes to the tax filing process for 2005.

The biggest change affects all who file New York State tax returns, both residents and non-residents. Effective with 2005 tax forms, filers no longer attach a copy of their W-2 Wage and Tax Statements to the state tax forms. Instead, New York State filers must now complete a new New York State form, known as IT-2 “Summary of Federal Form W-2 Statements.” New York State filers must use the IT-2 to copy over information from the W-2 forms onto this new form.

Another change is that the New York State form most commonly used by international students who are non-residents for tax purposes, IT-203, has been reformatted from a two page form to a four page form.

A final change for those who file as non-residents for tax purposes is that the information that students used to fill out on form IT-203ATT has now been moved to form IT-203B. This means that the IT-203ATT is no longer completed, and the IT-203B is completed in its place.

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