1. Have You Changed Your Address?
2. International Student Festival Sports Results and Upcoming Activities
3. Attention Graduate Students: Are You Considering Employment With a SUNY College or University?
4. Employment Opportunity for Graduate Students Who Speak Korean
5. Volunteer and (Unpaid) Intern Resource Fair September 19, 2007
6. Attention F and J Students: Know Your SEVIS Rules!
7. Attention Summer 2007 and Fall 2007 Graduating Students! Fall Commencement to be Offered for the First Time This December
8. Are You Employed This Semester? Here's an Important Tax Tip for F-1s and J-1s!
9. Upcoming Events Sponsored by the Career Development Center

1. Have You Changed Your Address?

Do you have a new address?  International Students in F and J status are reminded that reporting your change of address to the ISSS is a requirement under federal SEVIS regulations.  The ISSS makes this requirement easy for you by providing a web form where you can easily report this information.  Just visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/addrChange.html for an easy-to-complete fillable form.

2. International Student Festival Sports Results and Upcoming Activities

BU's 7th annual International Student Festival has now concluded a weekend of preliminary and semi-final sports competitions in volleyball, basketball and soccer, and preliminary and second round competition in badminton.  Preliminary table tennis competition begins Tuesday September 18 through Thursday September 20, all in the University Union’s Old Union Hall.  Semi-final and championship matches in Badminton, as well as championship matches in volleyball, basketball and soccer will be held Friday and Saturday, September 21 and 22.

Here are the results of the sports preliminary and semi-final competitions that were held on Saturday and Sunday.  Friday’s volleyball and basketball results were posted previously, but we include the championship schedule here.

Volleyball:
India will play Turkey in the final match on Friday, September 21, 2007 at 6:30pm in the West Gym.

Basketball:
China will play Africa in the final game on Friday, September 21, 2007 at 8:00pm in the West Gym.

Soccer:
Preliminary Play
Africa defeated Japan in overtime by a score of 3-2.
China defeated Europe in overtime by a score of 2-1
Turkey defeated the International team by a score of 1-0
In a game that was rescheduled due to storms, South Korea defeated India 3-1

Semi-Final Play
Africa defeated China by a score of 3-1
South Korea defeated Turkey in overtime by a score of 2-1

Championship
Africa will play South Korea in the final match on Saturday, September 22, 2007 at 12:15pm on East Gym Soccer Field 9*. (Please note that this field assignment may change.  Any changes will be announced in advance.

Badminton:
Twelve badminton matches were played on Sunday evening in the East Gym.

In doubles play, there were two Chinese teams, three Indian teams, and three Japanese teams, along with an international team and an European team.
China defeated the International Team in straight sets, 15-9 and 15-12. 
India defeated Europe in straight sets, 15-5 and 15-2. 
China defeated Japan in straight sets, 15-4 and 15-3. 
India defeated Japan in straight sets, 15-3 and 15-4, and received a bye to the semi-final round.  India defeated Japan in straight sets, 15-9 and 15-5

Doubles second round competition was played later in the evening
India defeated China 11-15, 15-1.3 and 17-15.
China defeated India in straight sets, 15-6 and 15-7 and received a bye to the championship game.
Two teams from India and one from China advanced.  India 1 and India 2 will play against each other in the semi final.  The winner of that game will play China in the final match, all badminton matches will be played on Saturday, September 22 beginning at 7:00pm.
 
In men’s singles play, there were six competitors from India, Japan, China, Europe, Africa and Turkey, and one additional player from China who had a bye until the semi-finals.
Europe defeated the International Team in straight sets, 15-1 and 15-3
China defeated Turkey in straight sets, 15 –3 and 15 –4.
India defeated Africa in straight sets, 15-3 and 15-2.
In the semi-final, Europe will play China1 and India will play China 2

In women’s singles play, there were four competitors from China (2), Europe and India
China defeated Europe in straight sets, 15-4 and 16-14.
India defeated China in straight sets, 15-13 and 15-5
In the semi-final, China will play India.

Major sponsors are the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, The Graduate Student Organization (pending approval), the Watson School GSO, the Harpur College Dean’s Office, the Office of Residential Life and Late Nite, along with sixteen other University offices and programs. Participating student organizations are the Binghamton University Japanese Association (BUJA), Binghamton University Korean Undergraduate Student Association (BU-KUSA), Binghamton University Turkish Students Association (BU-TSA), the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), the European Students Association, the Graduate African Student Organization (GASO), the Indian Graduate Student Organization (IGSO), the Korean Graduate Student Association (KGSA), the Taiwan Student Association, and the Turkish Cultural Association (TURCA).

A reminder of the upcoming championship games, along with the Cultural Showcase, scheduled for Sunday, September 23, will be posted next week.  To view the complete schedule (which is being updated this week) visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/prog/ISF.html

3. Attention Graduate Students: Are you Considering Employment with a SUNY University or College?

Employment at a SUNY  university or college that is not Binghamton University is considered off-campus employment. If you are in F-1 status, that means you must apply for and receive the appropriate authorization, usually Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT), from the ISSS before you begin any employment activity at a different university or college. Students in J-1 status must also request written authorization from the ISSS.  Remember: any position at the SUNY campuses in our regional area: SUNY Cortland, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Morrisville, Broome Community College or any other State University of New York institution is off campus employment. If you have questions please contact ISSS staff BEFORE you begin the employment.

4. Employment Opportunity for Graduate Students Who Speak Korean

The Language Across Curriculum (LxC) program at Binghamton University is recruiting Korean Language Resource Specialists. Graduate students who are fluent in Korean and interested in Anthropology or Theater are welcome to apply. For more information, please check LxC website http://lxc.binghamton.edu or drop by our office at Nelson Rockefeller Center in Hinman College, Rooms 209-210. You can also reach us via e-mail to lxc@binghamton.edu or call 607-777-2499.

5. Volunteer and (Unpaid) Intern Resource Fair September 19, 2007

On Wednesday, September 19, over 70 campus and community organizations will be tabling in the Mandela Room in the Old Union. Stop by for information on all the volunteering opportunities available to BU students, faculty and staff.

This event hosts locally based non-profit, profit organizations and government sponsored groups seeking students for primarily unpaid, credit and non-credit community service and human service opportunities.
 
When: Wednesday, September 19 from 11am to 3pm
Where: Mandela Room, Old Union
Contact: Mary Beth Willis at mbwillis@binghamton.edu

International students in F-1 or J-1 status should also consult with the ISSS to see if prior authorization from the ISSS is required before the activity can commence.

6. Attention F and J Students: Know Your SEVIS Rules!

This past week, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services has been in touch by e-mail with a number of international students to be sure that their course registration is in compliance with federal SEVIS requirements.  “SEVIS” stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, and is the federal tracking system that contains certain personal, educational and financial data on F and J students, J scholars and faculty, and dependents. All students need to know and comply with SEVIS regulations regarding course registration. These regulations are explained in the blue handout given to current students when they obtain a new SEVIS I-20, and were included in the International Student Orientation Handbook (yellow cover) that was distributed to new students at Orientation.

To briefly summarize the rules as they pertain to course registration:

• All F and J students must be registered for a full-time course load.
  • All students who are registered for less than a full time course load must have prior  permission from the ISSS. Students who are less than full time but who will graduate in the current semester MUST complete a "Request for Permission to Take a Reduced Course Load Due to Course Completion" form AND a Declaration of Candidacy form. Students planning on taking a reduced course load due to academic difficulty or medical condition MUST have prior permission from the ISSS.
  • Graduate students who have advanced to thesis, project, candidacy or dissertation research and are registered for a course that can be certified as full time (most commonly 599, 698 or 699, but selected departments include other course rubrics as well) MUST complete the Graduate School’s "Certification of Full Time Status" form if they are registered for fewer than nine credits.
  • All of these forms are available at the "essential forms" section of the ISSS website: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/index.html
  • Students who have decided to withdraw from Binghamton must notify the ISSS of their intentions prior to their departure, and complete the departure form available at: http://isss.binghamton.edu/forms/depForm.html

To read the complete information sheet on SEVIS requirements for F and J students, visit:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/new/SEVISJF.htm

To read the information sheet on Permissible Reasons Under F-1 Regulations to Register for Less Than a Full Time Course Load, visit: http://isss.binghamton.edu/imm/lesscourse.htm

7. Attention Summer 2007 and Fall 2007 Graduating Students!  Fall Commencement to be Offered for the First Time This December

Commencement exercises will be offered in the Fall for the first time this December.  Students who graduated in Summer 2007 or who will graduate in Fall 2007 are invited to attend.  The ceremony will be held in the Events Center on Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 12 noon.  The deadline to confirm attendance is November 9, 2007.  For complete information, visit: http://commencement.binghamton.edu/

8. Are You Employed This Semester? Here's an Important Tax Tip for F-1s and J-1s!

If you are an international student in F-1 or J-1 status who is working on campus for Fall 2007, have you examined your paychecks carefully? Here is some important information for you. The information that comes with your paycheck may show that both federal and state income tax (or just federal income tax) are being withheld from your paycheck. This is correct, since students in F-1 or J-1 status do pay federal and state income taxes on money they earn through on-campus employment. However, if your paycheck information shows that social security tax and/or medicare tax are being withheld from your paycheck, this may be an error! F-1 or J-1 students who have been in the United States in F-1 or J-1 status for five years or less do not pay social security or medicare tax on employment earnings authorized by federal Immigration regulations, including on-campus employment. So, if you believe a mistake has been made, speak with someone in the appropriate payroll office, and have your pay stub with you. You are entitled to a refund of any social security or medicare tax incorrectly withheld.

9. Upcoming Events Sponsored by the Career Development Center

September and October are busy months for the Career Development Center, with three major programs being offered, some are held just once each year.  They are:

• Thursday, September 27, Job and Internship Fair, 11:00am to 3:30pm, University Union Mandela Room and Old Union Hall.
• Tuesday, October 2, Graduate School Fair, 11:00am to 2:30pm, University Union Mandela Room and Old Union Hall
• Wednesday, October 3, Law Day, 11:30am to 2:45pm, University Union Mandela Room

For more information on any of these events, including a list of employers or schools that will be represented, visit:
http://cdc.binghamton.edu/eventsspecial.html.

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.