ISSS-BU News . 01 October 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
CONTENTS:
1. National Holidays for October
The following countries are celebrating national holidays during the month of October:
Country |
Date |
China |
1-Oct |
Cyprus |
1-Oct |
Nigeria |
1-Oct |
Guinea |
2-Oct |
India |
2-Oct |
Germany |
3-Oct |
Lesotho |
4-Oct |
Uganda |
9-Oct |
Fiji |
10-Oct |
Taiwan |
10-Oct |
Equatorial Guinea |
12-Oct |
Spain |
12-Oct |
Somalia |
21-Oct |
Zambia |
24-Oct |
Kazakhstan |
25-Oct |
Austria |
26-Oct |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
27-Oct |
Turkmenistan |
27-Oct |
Czech Republic |
28-Oct |
Turkey |
29-Oct |
2. Workshop on Curricular Practical Training and On-Campus Employment Tuesday, October 2
Each semester, the ISSS and the Career Development Center jointly sponsor a series of workshops especially for international students on employment regulations and employment strategies for short-term employment, long-term employment and internships. Announcements will be posted in ISSS-BU News as the dates draw near.
The first workshop in the series will be held Tuesday, October 2 at 3:00pm in Science Building 2 Room 144. It is titled “CPT (Curricular Practical Training) and On-Campus Employment: Federal Regulations YOU NEED to KNOW!”
Karen Keefe-Guzikowski, Assistant Director of the ISSS and Amelia Shafer, International Student Advisor will take you through a Power Point presentation on federal employment regulations for both CPT and on-campus employment.
Thinking of doing an internship? Are you a new student unfamiliar with the regulations governing work? Wondering what is legal and what isn't? Those questions and more will be answered at this valuable workshop!
The workshop series is sponsored by the Career Development Center and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
3. Next International Coffee Hour Friday, October 5
Good company! Free refreshments! Celebrate the beginning of the Fall season by coming to this month's International Coffee Hour on Friday, October 5 from 3:30-5pm in the University Union Old Union Hall (next to the University Union Mandela Room). Just enter the Old Union Hall from the (old) University Union Main Lobby. This month's sponsor is The Watson School.
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. They are held on the first Friday of every month in the University Union Old Union Hall from 3:30pm-5pm. Each coffee hour has free hot and cold beverages and cookies, sponsored by a different department on campus.
4. Graduate School Fair and Law Day Taking Place This Week
The Career Development Center is offering two major programs this week, open to all students. They are:
Tuesday, October 2, Graduate School Fair, 11:00am to 2:30pm, University Union Mandela Room and Old Union Hall. Representatives from 140 graduate schools will be available to answer your questions.
Wednesday, October 3, Law Day, 11:30am to 2:45pm, University Union Mandela Room. Representatives from more than 80 law schools will be available to answer your questions.
For more information on these events, visit: http://cdc.binghamton.edu/eventsspecial.html
5. 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 yearn (began their studies at Binghamton University in Fall 2006 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 22, 2007.
6. Fall 2007 International Spouses Program (ISP) English as a Second Language Classes Begin October 8
We are very happy to announce that ESL classes for family members and spouses of Binghamton University international students and scholars will begin on Monday, October 8th. ISP membership consists of spouses and family members of international students and scholars from all over the world. In addition to providing free, weekly ESL instruction, ISP provides the opportunity to learn about day-to-day living in the US, socialize with other spouses, and share experiences.
Anyone who is interested in these classes should attend the Evaluation Day to meet the instructor and to decide which class is best for you. Evaluation Day will be held on Monday October 8th starting at 11:00am in Student Wing (SW) 310. If you don’t know where this room is, meet Amelia Shafer (the International Student Advisor) in front of the ISSS office at 10:45am. She will walk you to the classroom.
During Evaluation Day there will be an opportunity for students to practice their English conversation skills and participate in ESL activities and games. This will occur in SW 310 then SW 309 at 1:00pm.
Two class levels will be offered during the Fall semester. Classes will be held at the following times:
A $5.00 fee per semester per student is requested towards the copying of materials (no need to purchase a textbook for this class). The instructor will collect this fee.
* New this year! ISP Book Club -- open to all levels of English. Every Friday in the Susquehanna Dining Room from 9:00am until 11:00am.
Our ESL instructor is Ms. Nancy Barno Reynolds. She has both a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s in Education degree in English also from Binghamton University. She is a very energetic and creative teacher. We are happy she is part of the ISSS Team!
If you have a family member who is interested in improving their English skills, they should attend the placement evaluation on Monday October 8th or contact Amelia Shafer, the International Student Advisor, at ashafer@binghamton.edu
7. Off Campus College Internship Programs for Undergraduates:
Save the date for these wonderful opportunities:
Learn about full-time/full semester undergraduate internships offered throughout the United States during the spring 2008 semester. This program may award 12 credits for approved internships. Stipends are available for many of the opportunities offered. Internships have included the NYS Assembly Internship Program, the United Nations, the Disney Program, MTV – U and many more
Thursday, Oct. 11, 5:00 pm (University Union West 324): Winter Session Internship Advising Session
Monday, Oct. 15, 5:00 pm (University Union West 325): Winter Session Internship Advising Session
How are you spending your winter break? Think about doing an internship! Winter Session undergraduate internships may be taken anywhere in the United States and abroad. All OCC interns receive 2 or 4 credits for this program.
Gain professional experience! Build your network! Be an OCC intern!
Are you a student who wants to make a difference in the community? If so you should consider enrolling in an undergraduate course titled OCC 220: Principles of Service-Learning.
This half semester, 2 credit undergraduate course will help students learn about how to approach open-ended problems in a group setting; learn practical tools for being an agent for change and for being fully engaged in community service; and learn how to assess and evaluate service projects.
· Open to undergraduate students; Space limited to 20 students
· Permission of Off Campus College is required in order to enroll
· Course meets the oral communication Gen-Ed requirement
· Course meets Tues & Thurs, 3:30-5:00 beginning October 23
International students in F-1 or J-1 status should also consult with the ISSS to find out if prior authorization from the ISSS is required before the activity can commence.
8. International Students and Grades of Incomplete
The Office of International Student and Scholar Services wishes to warn international students of the consequences of not completing in a timely manner the required work for a course for which they have been issued an "Incomplete" grade. For example, a student who receives a grade of "incomplete" in a graduate or undergraduate course for the Spring 2007 semester has until the end of the Fall 2007 semester to turn in the required work so that the professor can issue the appropriate final grade. However, if the Spring 2007 course work is not completed, or if the professor does not submit a grade change form, then at the conclusion of the Fall 2007 semester, the Incomplete will change to "W" or withdrawn for graduate students, and to "F" or failure for undergraduate students.
Graduate students should be aware that a grade of Incomplete ("I") is automatically assigned in any course for which an instructor has not submitted a grade. Graduate students who are given a grade of "I" are normally given the opportunity to complete the work during the following semester (excluding summer). It is the normal expectation that, within the limits set forth above, faculty will take no longer than one month to file a final letter grade for the course. Students must therefore submit work at least one month before the Incomplete deadline.
For students studying at the Undergraduate level, unless the student completes the course work and the instructor submits a final letter grade within 6 months, a grade of "I" changes to a grade of Failure ("F").
For students studying at the Graduate level, unless the student completes the course work and the instructor submits a final letter grade within 6 months, a grade of "I" changes to a grade of Withdrawn ("W"). Once an I has changed to a W, the student has no further opportunity to complete the course and the course will appear on the final transcript as Withdrawn.
Under exceptional circumstances only, the six-month grace period for incomplete grades for graduate students may be extended for a maximum period of one year. Requests for extensions of incomplete grades require the approval of the course instructor and the Dean of the Graduate School or designee. Requests must be made at least one month before the deadline. This policy has specific implications for international students on student visas and students who are receiving a tuition scholarship, since in both cases, students must be registered full time. A grade change to "W" is very detrimental to any F-1 or J-1 student, because if the course was being counted towards a full-time course load, the W grade means that the course was not completed successfully, dropping the student from full-time to part-time.
A F grade for an undergraduate will negatively impact a student's grade point average, possibly leading to academic probation or an academic warning, or even suspension or termination.
Once a change to "W" occurs, the F-1 or J-1 student could then be in violation of U.S. immigration requirements governing a full-time course load. Thus, some international students suddenly find themselves in violation of their F-1 status based on a course taken as long as two semesters ago. Students who violate a provision of F-1 regulations lose all F-1 benefits, including the ability to work on campus. In order to return to valid status, they must either apply for reinstatement with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (if eligible to do so), OR depart the United States and make a new entry.
When a graduate student receives a tuition scholarship, the institution pays for tuition for all courses taken by that student. In the case where an incomplete grade converts to a "W," the institution has paid for tuition for a course that was not completed; further, the student may have violated the conditions outlined in the Terms and Conditions for Acceptance of Tuition Scholarship by dropping below full-time registration. Students receiving tuition scholarships should be aware that the university may seek repayment of tuition that was paid for incompleted courses.
International students in F-1 or J-1 status are strongly cautioned to be certain to complete within the required deadlines any required work for a course for which they received an incomplete grade.
9. Christmas International House Now Accepting Applications
Christmas International House (CIH) is a Christian ministry, founded by the Presbyterian Church. CIH is based on friendship evangelism, peacemaking, hospitality, and believing that God loves all persons. Its ministry involves meeting student needs in terms of housing, food and interaction with others. It provides the opportunity for both students and hosts to gain a better understanding of people around the world.
CIH is an organization that offers a “home away from home” in private homes in many areas of the United States for two weeks at Christmas each year. The dates for this year’s Christmas International House are December 18 to January 2.
Applications are now being accepted by mail and will close November 22, 2007.
Students who sign the application statement commit themselves to participate in all organized activities and stay the entire length of the program.
A registration fee of $90.00 for singles ($125.00 for couples or families) is due with applications if postmarked before November 1. After October 31, a fee of $110.00 for singles ($145.00 for couples or families) must accompany the application form. Please make checks or money orders payable to AMIS/Christmas International House (Cash is not accepted). This fee will be refunded only if you are not placed. If you are placed, there is NO refund.
For more information and to obtain an application, visit their website at http://www.christmasih.org
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