1. Workshop on Optional Practical Training Wednesday October 17th
2. German Film Club is Screening Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse October 18
3. International Student Grant-In-Aid Accepting Applications Until October 22
4. Preparing for Work in the Global Economy; Reserve November 2 on Your Calendar!
5. Create the Perfect Resume!
6. Early Announcement! Holiday Closing Dates for International Student and Scholar Services
7. Are You Working On-Campus on the State Payroll? Check Your Address for Accuracy!
8. Dropping Courses and Immigration Implications

1. Workshop on Optional Practical Training Wednesday October 17th  

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 second workshop in the series will be held Wednesday, October 17 at 3:00pm in Science 2 Room 138.  It is titled: Optional Practical Training (OPT): What is it and How do I apply? Learn how to apply for an employment authorization card through USCIS and take advantage of this benefit as an F-1 student!

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 OPT and how to apply for this type of work authorization.

Will you be graduating soon?  Do you want to work in the United States after graduation?   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.

2. German Film Club is Screening Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse October 18

The German Film Club, as part of its Fall 2007 Film Series, is screening director Fritz Lang’s film Dr. Mabuse with subtitles (Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse) on Thursday, October 18 at 7:30pm, on the 14th floor of the Library  Tower, conference room 1406B.

3. International Student Grant-In-Aid Accepting Applications Until October 22

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.

4. Preparing for Work in the Global Economy; Reserve November 2 on Your Calendar

A very special program is being offered to all BU students, graduate and undergraduate, on Friday November 2.  Mark your calendar for this event!

The featured speaker is Jean-Marc Hachey, author of The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas, and international career editor for Transitions Abroad magazine and I-studentadvisor.com magazine (UK). 

Mr. Hachey will offer two workshops.  From 1:00pm to 2:30pm in Old Union Hall, his topic will be Building Your Global Competency.  Every undergraduate and graduate student entering the workforce will be part of the global economy, whether you work in or outside your home country.  What competencies are required and how do you effectively develop and present them?  Learn how to build your international “IQ” for success.

Mr. Hachey’s second workshop is titled Going International – Your Resume and the Job Search, and will be held from 3:00pm to 4:30pm in Old Union Hall.  This workshop is especially for those who plan to work outside their home country.  Mr. Hachey will present an overview of the international job search process, including the differences between an international and domestic resume.

Following Mr. Hachey’s last presentation, there will be a special edition of the International Coffee Hour until 5:30pm.

5. Create the Perfect Resume!

The Career Development Center has a new service that helps you create a resume.

To do so, follow these steps:

• Review the CDC Resume Quick Reference Guide at http://cdc.binghamton.edu/QRefGuide/Resume%20Writing07.pdf
• Access the "Optimal Resume" link from the CDC home page under the section titled "News & Events" http://cdc.binghamton.edu  Create an Optimal Resume account and enter your information to create a first draft
• Bring your printed draft to CDC hours (10:00am to 4:00pm Monday - Friday) for a CDC review

6. Early Announcement! Holiday Closing Dates for International Student and Scholar Services

The Office of International Student and Scholar Services, along with most other university offices, will be closed for what is traditionally known at the University as the "holiday shutdown" period. The official holiday shutdown starts on Tuesday, December 25, 2007 with offices re-opening on Wednesday, January 2, 2008, but many offices will have limited or no staff on Monday, December 24 as well.  During this period, there will be no mail delivery into or out of offices. Voice mail, e-mail and fax will be monitored periodically, but not every day.

International students and scholars who have paperwork that needs to be processed by the ISSS should note these dates and anticipate that after Friday, December 21, there will be a wait until January 2 before work resumes. It is strongly recommended that any requests for documents be made no later than December 14 to assure timely processing.  Remember not to wait until the last minute, as doing so may require you to wait until after January 2nd for documents to be returned to you! 

7.  Are You Working On-Campus on the State Payroll?  Check Your Address for Accuracy!

Annual W-2 statement of earnings forms will be mailed directly to faculty, staff and student home addresses in January, 2008.  In order to be sure the mailing is successful, the Office of Human Resources needs to confirm that home addresses are correct in their systems.  All faculty, staff and students should check the address as recorded on their paycheck to be sure it is accurate as of the check of 10/17/07.  If you need to make any changes, please report this to your department and they will submit the necessary Oracle personal data change form to assure the change is made to your record to allow for the timely arrival of your W-2 form.  This form is an essential document needed to complete your income tax forms.

8.  Dropping Courses and Immigration Implications

The last day to withdraw from a course for the Fall 2007 semester is Friday, October 26.  Withdrawing from a course means that a grade of “W” will be entered on your transcript. However, such an action may have immigration consequences if the course is needed for you to be considered a full time student.  ISSS reminds all international students in F-1 and J-1 status that U.S. federal regulations require that they be registered for a full-time course load as determined by their academic level and program.

What constitutes a full-time course load varies according to academic level.

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                    9 credits per semester
(completion of at least 24                                 
credits):

Graduate Master's students who           *1 credit or more per semester, that can be
need only thesis or project to                certified as full-time by the department
complete their program:

Graduate PhD students:                        9 credits per semester

Graduate PhD students admitted to       *1 credit or more per semester, that can be
candidacy or who have pre-                   certified as full-time by the department  
dissertation or dissertation research:     

*graduate students with GA, TA, Or RA funding and a tuition scholarship who have completed all course work requirements are required to register for 9 credits.

There are some very limited exceptions to the full-time course requirement, including being in your final semester prior to graduation, having a medical condition, or having academic difficulty due to documented English language difficulty or course placement problems.  Under Federal SEVIS regulations, these exceptions require prior approval from the ISSS before you can withdraw from the course. For complete information, stop by the ISSS to obtain a handout on “Permissible Reasons Under F-1 Regulations to Register for Less Than a Full Time Course Load,” or view the handout on the ISSS website at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/imm/lesscourse.htm

The most common violation of F and J status is failure to sustain a full-time course load through the end of the semester. A few students drop below the minimum number of credits needed to be full-time without prior permission, a smaller number of students withdraw from all courses late in the semester.

These same students may return to full course loads the following semester. However, they are all in violation of F-1 and J-1 status rules, because returning to a full-time course load does not "fix" the problem of having been less than full-time the previous semester.

The penalty for a status violation, like the ones described above, is loss of all F-1 benefits, including the right to be employed on or off campus. To restore benefits and return to legal status, the student must pay a $300 fee and apply for reinstatement with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This application is processed through the office of International Student and Scholar Services.

Obviously, a status violation is a very serious matter. Avoid violating the terms of your status, and come to the ISSS whenever you have a question or a concern regarding F-1 or J-1 issues, including the full-time course rule.

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.