ISSS-BU News . 09 April 2007. 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: Classes resume on Tuesday, April 10. However, University offices are open on Monday, April 9. We hope that you have had an enjoyable Spring break, although the weather certainly does not feel like Spring.
CONTENTS:
1. Mindfulness and Working in the World to be Discussed April 11
A.Robin Orden '71 will lead a conversation about mindfulness and working in the world from 3:00pm - 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in University Union West 325. Most of us anticipate careers in education, business or other professions. We may also have been raised with, or discovered an interest in spiritual traditions. How do we honor our traditions, nurture honesty, integrity and ethical practices, and integrate them with our work?
After graduating from Binghamton University in 1971, Orden's career has included positions in university administration and instruction, nonprofit management and public service. In 1999-2000, she spent 18 months as a Zen student and monk, then returned to work for the City of Berkeley. Orden is also part of Company Time, a retreat for people in the business world that has been meeting several times a year since 1996, and a continuing Zen practitioner. For more information, contact Jaclyn Boushie, assistant director of development for Harpur College, at 777-6285 or mailto:jboushie@binghamton.edu .
2. Early Registration for Fall 2007 Begins Thursday, April 12
Current students will be able to advance register for Fall 2007 classes beginning April 12 and ending May 11, 2007. 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 2007 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 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 the BUSI Web Center: http://busi.binghamton.edu .
BUSI Hours of Operation
Registration on BUSI will begin on April 12th. 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 11.
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
3. Next International Coffee Hour With Special Recognition Friday, April 13
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 13 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 eleven 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
Hong Kong Exchange Square
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.
4. The Deadline for Filing Federal and State Income Tax Forms is Tuesday, April 17!
Do you need to know how to properly assemble and mail your federal and New York State income tax forms? Go to: http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/taxaddress.html
Are you using CINTAX ? Nearly 700 current and former BU students and scholars have requested CINTAX access passwords, but only 480 have gone onto the CINTAX website as of Sunday, April 8. Of those 480 individuals who have accessed CINTAX, 428 have completed their income tax forms.
CINTAX is reporting that the average federal refund for BU CINTAX users, for those students entitled to a refund, is $626.00.
For the most up-to-date information on services available to help you with your income tax forms, visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/taxsem.html
5. Latest News on H-1B Cap Filings
On Wednesday morning April 4, ISSS-BU News published an update announcing that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had received enough H-1B petitions as of Monday, April 2, 2007 to meet the mandated cap for Fiscal Year 2008, which begins October 1, 2007. USCIS reported that it had received more than 150,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions by Monday afternoon.
In keeping with its regulations, when the cap limit is reached on the first day of filing, a computer-generated random selection process applies, including cases filed on the “final receipt date” and the following date, which is April 3, 2007. Any cap-subject H-1B applications received on or after April 4, 2007 will be rejected.
The complete USCIS statement can be viewed at: http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1BFY08Cap040307.pdf
On Thursday, April 5, USCIS published its first preliminary numbers as the tallying of petitions received on April 2 and April 3 continues. USCIS reported that a closer examination of the petitions shows that it received 133,000 unique pieces of mail containing H-1B petitions, rather than the 150,000 it announced on April 4.
The task now turns to individually reviewing and sorting each petition. As of April 3, USCIS reports that 28,052 of the cases sorted thus far are subject to the Fiscal Year 2008 cap. 4,703 cases sorted thus far are for applicants who have a US master's degree or higher from a US institution, which fall under a separate grouping of 20,000 who are exempt from the Fiscal Year 2008 cap.
To read the April 5 USCIS announcement of preliminary numbers, visit:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1Bfy08CapUpdate040507.pdf
The process of closely reviewing and sorting each petition will continue over the next several weeks. USCIS plans to provide regular updates, and we will include those updates in ISSS-BU News.
6. Essential Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues and H-1B Visas Wednesday, April 18
What may be the most important immigration workshop offered this year will be held Wednesday, April 18 at 4:00pm in Lecture Hall 10. Will you be seeking employment in the United States after graduation? Does the news that the mandated cap for H-1B visas was reached on the very first day of filing have you confused and/or concerned? Do you have questions regarding H-1B visas, labor certification, PERM and employment-based permanent residency? Are you confused about the H-1B “cap” and the “cap gap?” What about 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.
7. Fall 2007 International Student Orientation - Leadership Volunteers Needed
Are you interested in helping new international students during Orientation and adding Leadership and U.S. Culture Training experience to your resume? Then, become a Leadership Volunteer!
Leadership Volunteers are a select group of Binghamton University students, who join ISSS staff to welcome new international students during Fall International Student Orientation. Leadership Volunteer recruitment is now underway.
Leadership Volunteers engage in a 5-day training program to help prepare them for their role during Orientation. Leadership Volunteer Training will take place Monday, August 13 to Friday, August 17, 2007. International Student Orientation starts Monday, August 20 and ends on Wednesday, August 22, 2007.
The Training Program includes activities that give all Leadership Volunteers the opportunity to:
• Become a Team
• Prepare Presentations for Small Group Activities
• Understand the Needs of New International Students
Many new students tell the ISSS how important the Leadership Volunteers were to their initial experience at Binghamton University. Many Leadership Volunteers tell the ISSS how valuable the training was to their own professional and personal development.
Karen Keefe-Guzikowski and Amelia Shafer from the ISSS staff will be at the International Coffee Hour on Friday, April 13, 2007 at 3:30pm in Old Union Hall to discuss the opportunity to become Leadership Volunteers and to answer your questions.
If you are unable to attend the Coffee Hour, send an e-mail message expressing your interest and providing your contact information to isss@binghamton.edu Be sure to use “Leadership Volunteer” for the subject line.
8. Do You Need to Extend Your I-20 or DS-2019?
Students whose I-20 or DS-2019 will expire in May, but who will continue at Binghamton for Summer 2007 and/or Fall 2007 are reminded that they must complete the required paperwork for an extension before their I-20 or DS-2019 expires! A student whose I-20 ends in May, but who continues to take classes during the 2007 summer session will be out of status, with very serious immigration ramifications unless they apply for an extension of stay in a timely manner. All students with I-20s or DS-2019s with ending dates of May or Summer 2007 were sent e-mail messages in March regarding extension procedures. Do not let the deadline pass!
9. Income Tax Information: How to Apply for an Extension If You Need More Time to File Your Income Tax Forms
All individuals in F or J status, including F and J dependents, who were in the United States during any part of 2006 must file federal income tax forms, even if they did not have any U.S. earned income!
The deadline for filing income tax forms is Tuesday, April 17, 2007. What happens if you have income and are unable to file your federal and state income tax forms by the April 17 deadline? You can file for up to a six-month extension of your federal income tax form by completing form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File a Tax Return. You can obtain a similar extension from New York State by filing form IT-370. Supplies of federal form 4868 and New York State form IT-370 are available in the ISSS, in a special file drawer just below the box containing resident tax forms. You may also download them from the link below.
For instructions on how to complete the forms, and for the links for downloading the forms, go to: http://isss.binghamton.edu/taxes/taxexten.html
Forms 4868 and IT-370 should be used if you are unable to meet the April 17, 2007 filing deadline for federal and New York State tax returns. Forms 4868 and IT-370 provide an automatic six-month extension. However, forms 4868 and IT-370 do not allow for an extension of any taxes owed. If you owe tax to the U.S. government or the State of New York, you must enclose payment (or an estimated payment) with forms 4868 and IT-370. Do not attempt to file the 4868 or the IT-370 electronically. File them as paper forms. Both forms include instructions.
Students sometime ask whether there are any consequences to not filing tax forms. There can be immigration consequences for failing to file tax forms. For example, applicants wanting to change from F-1 to H-1B (the specialty occupations visa) can be asked by the Immigration Service to submit copies of previous years' income tax forms as part of their H-1B application. Applicants for permanent residency ("green cards") can be asked to show copies of tax forms filed for previous years. A person who appears at a U.S. consulate abroad for consular processing of a permanent residency visa application may be asked to produce U.S. income tax forms from their previous years in the United States.
10. Moscow Festival Ballet Brings Tchaikovsky's “The Sleeping Beauty” to BU on April 23
The Moscow Festival Ballet will present a full-length performance of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 8:00pm at the Osterhout Concert Theater at Binghamton University's Anderson Center. With a lush musical score and bravura dancing accented by rich, luxurious sets and costumes, this performance promises to be a sumptuous and breathtakingly beautiful gift for the eye and the ear. There are fifty performers in the production, and the artistic director for the Moscow Festival Ballet is Sergei Radchenko. Tickets are $34 for faculty/staff and $20 for students with ID. Tickets may be purchased at the Anderson Center Box Office or on-line at http://anderson.binghamton.eduTo sign on to ISSS-BU from an e-mail account on the Binghamton.edu server, send an e-mail message to
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