1. Spring Travel Series Has Begun
2. Sharing Your Thoughts With the Virginia Tech Community
3. Workload Issues in the ISSS
4. “China in Africa” to be Presented Monday, April 23
5. Income Tax Update
6. International Student Graduation Reception Update
7. J-1 Students and On-Campus Employment
8. Attention Undergraduates! Applications Now Being Accepted for the Exemplary Student Award
9. Latest H-1B Visa Update
10. 13th Annual Global Masters Employment Conference November 1-3, 2007 in Orlando, Florida

1. Spring Travel Series Has Begun

Last week, the ISSS began to distribute its four-part series of travel articles electronically on the ISSS-BU listserv. Each article contains up to date information on what you need to know if you are an international student who will travel this summer. Publication will continue this week. These articles can also be viewed on the ISSS website by going to the following link: http://isss.binghamton.edu/travel/index.html

2. Sharing Your Thoughts With the Virginia Tech Community

There continues to be great sadness at the tragic killings that took place last Monday at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (“Virginia Tech”). Classes at Virginia Tech resume today. To learn more about what has happened, visit the University's official home page at http://www.vt.edu/

For those who would like to send messages of condolence, nearly 35,000 messages have already been sent to Virginia Tech for posting to their memorial website. Visit: http://rosa.hosting.vt.edu/index.php/memorial/

Virginia Tech is no longer accepting new entries to the website, in order to allow their staff to redirect their energies toward the university's recovery from this tragedy. As an alternative website for posting your message, they suggest the Guest Book Legacy.Com The direct link is: http://www.legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=87298850

3. Workload Issues in the ISSS

As we get closer to May, the ISSS is in the midst of its busiest work period. New student visa documents are being mailed on a daily basis and current students come to the office with questions regarding travel, practical training employment, and extensions to name a few! The ISSS is always happy to be of assistance to you, but as will naturally occur during a busy period, it takes staff longer to accomplish office tasks. This includes forms processing, appointments and responses to e-mail messages. So, if it is necessary for you to meet with Karen Keefe-Guzikowski, Amelia Shafer or Ellen Badger, or if you are sending an e-mail message to either the isss@binghamton.edu account or to the personal account of someone in the office, or need to have paperwork processed by ISSS staff, please allow extra time for an appointment, e-mail reply, or paperwork. They are doing the best they can, and they appreciate your understanding. Thank you!

4. “China in Africa” to be Presented Monday, April 23

The Graduate African Student Organization (GASO) presents “China In Africa” on Monday April 23, 2007, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in University Union West Room 324. This is a Spring 2007 Scholars Series Event.

The speakers will be Horace G. Campbell, Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Syracuse University and Dr. Firoze Manji, Editor of Pambazuka News and Director of Fahamu.

5. Income Tax Update

As we announced on Thursday, what was originally a two-day extension for filing federal and state income taxes for those affected by the Monday, April 16 storm in the Northeast has now been changed to a one week extension, until midnight Thursday, April 26.

See:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=169582,00.html

And fact sheet at:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=169543,00.html

For NY State, see:
http://www.tax.state.ny.us/press/2007/extensionapril26.htm

Please note that there is no requirement that documentation be attached to justify the extension. However, you must be physically residing in an area of the Northeastern United States affected by the storm. The Binghamton area is an example of one that qualifies due to the snow fall and power outages experienced on Monday.

CINTAX continues to be available to Binghamton University students and scholars for those who are filing late, and will stay available until June 15, 2007. CINTAX users should remember to print a copy of their CINTAX -prepared tax forms for their files before June 15, 2007. CINTAX will purge its system of data on June 16, 2007.

To date, 622 current and former BU international students and scholars have accessed CINTAX .
451 users were eligible for refunds, and more than five million dollars in total gross income was reported by CINTAX users

6. International Student Graduation Reception Update

The 21st annual International Student Graduation Reception is Saturday, May 12 at 7:00 pm in the University Union Mandela Room. Invitations will be sent by e-mail in about one week. All students completing their programs who plan to attend need to respond by completing the on-line reply card no later than Monday, May 7! Be sure to indicate any guests who may accompany you by indicating the appropriate number on the response form.

A large number of international students are graduating Binghamton this year, and we look forward to seeing many of you there. Food and beverages will be served, there will be many photo opportunities, and a commemorative gift will be given to each student being honored.

Students frequently ask about appropriate dress for the reception. While business suits are not required, consider it a Saturday evening out, so feel free to dress up in Western or traditional clothing! The reception should end before 9:00pm, so there will be plenty of time for you to enjoy other evening plans following the reception. Cameras are encouraged, as there will be lots of opportunities for picture taking. This is your evening to celebrate your achievement!

7. J-1 Students and On-Campus Employment

Students in J-1 status who have been offered on-campus employment opportunities for either Summer 2007 or Fall 2007 are reminded that even on-campus employment must be authorized in advance. The ISSS has developed a simple on-line form for J-1 students to complete so that the appropriate authorization letter can be prepared. Visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/emp/jempframe.htm

8. Attention Undergraduates! Applications Now Being Accepted for the 2007 Homecoming Exemplary Student Award

Don't miss your opportunity to apply for the 2007 Homecoming Exemplary Student Award.

The Grand Prize Winner will receive a full tuition scholarship for one semester
* 2nd Place Finalist - receives a $500 book store award
* 3rd Place Finalist - receives a $250 book store award
* 4th Place Finalist - receives a $ 125 book store award
* 5th Place Finalist - receives a $ 75 book store award

All financial awards will be eligible for use for the Spring 2008 semester

Pick up your application at the Student Information Desks, online at
http://alumni.binghamton.edu/students/ESA_Application.doc or in the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations in Couper Administration Building Room 217.

Application Due Date: Monday, May 7, 2007

9. Latest H-1B Visa Update

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made two important announcements this past week regarding the H-1B category. The first announcement, published late last Thursday, warns of an error that caused receipt notices to be mailed erroneously prior to April 12, 2007, which was the date that the random selection process of all cap-subject applications received on April 2 and April 3 took place.

A small number (USCIS does not say how many) of H-1B cap-subject applications received on April 2 and April 3 had receipt notices generated for them prior to the computer generated random selection process on April 12. This was a mistake, as all fees were supposed to be held until all the cases could be counted. USCIS warns that the issuance of receipt notices for cap-subject H1-B cases with notice dates earlier than April 12 should not assume that their application was selected for processing. Any cases that were issued receipts with dates prior to April 12 and were not selected for processing on April 12 will have their applications returned and receive a refund of their filing fee. Final notification of petitions that were not picked during the random selection process will occur in May 2007.

The complete text of the announcement may be read at:
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1Bfy08CapUpdate041907.pdf

The second announcement is that as of Monday, April 16, 2007, the 20,000 H-1B visa exemption for those with U.S. master's degrees or higher had not yet been reached. However, 16,987 applications that qualify for this category have been received by USCIS. Thus, as of April 16, 85% of the 20,000 available exempted applications has been used. It is anticipated that the 20,000 limit will be reached very soon.

The USCIS is maintaining a “cap count” chart on its website, where readers can track the number of H-1B visas remaining. Go to http://www.uscis.gov and from the list on the left side of the home page, select “Current non-immigrant worker visa cap.”

10. 13th Annual Global Masters Employment Conference November 1-3, 2007 in Orlando, Florida 

The Career Development Center (CDC) announces the Global Masters Employment Conference. This conference is for graduate students who are prospective second-year students (Fall 2007/Spring 2008 grads), who are foreign nationals (international students), dual U.S. citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents authorized to work in another country. 

The Conference gives graduating students the opportunity to be selected and interviewed by outstanding global employers, for positions in their home countries, other countries where they are authorized to work, and in the U.S.

There is absolutely no charge of any kind for students to apply to be considered by participating companies for interview invitations, or to attend if they are invited.  However, as this is an invitation-only event, Interested students must apply via the Conference web site at http://www.careerconferences.com/gmba07/international.html

The initial application deadline is June 11, 2007.

Students who apply will have their applications and resumes provided to participating companies, who will select candidates for their Conference interview schedules. 

elected students will be notified of their interview invitations by October 8, 2007, and are free to accept only those interviews they are interested in.  In addition, to accommodate students who cannot be contacted until the Fall, we will offer a second opportunity for students to apply during the first two weeks of September.

ISSS-BU is a listserv owned and managed by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, Division of Student Affairs, at the State University of New York at Binghamton. It is the publisher of ISSS-BU News . Permission is granted to freely distribute the information posted to this list as long as its contents remain unchanged.