ISSS-BU News . 31 March 2008. 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: ISSS-BU News welcomes its readers back from Spring Break. There are a larger than usual number of articles this week. Please scroll through the Contents section for those articles of interest to you.
CONTENTS:
1. National Holidays for April
The following countries are celebrating national holidays in April.
Country |
Date |
Senegal |
4-Apr |
Denmark |
16-Apr |
Syria |
17-Apr |
Zimbabwe |
18-Apr |
Tanzania |
26-Apr |
Sierra Leone |
27-Apr |
South Africa |
27-Apr |
Netherlands |
30-Apr |
2. Please Come to the ISSS to Pick Up Your Health Insurance ID Card
The Spring 2008 ID Cards for the International Student Health Insurance Plan have now arrived in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services. All international students, except for those graduate students with TA, GA or RPA funding, are covered under this health insurance policy.
Please come to the ISSS to pick up your Insurance ID card during our normal business hours. We are located in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center, Room G-1. Office hours are:
Monday - Wednesday and Friday from 9:00am to 4:30pm
Thursday from 11:30am to 4:30pm.
You will be asked to present your BU ID card when you come to the ISSS.
The ISSSreminds international students to be sure to carry your health insurance card with you. In the event that you have to go to the hospital or see a doctor over a weekend because of a medical emergency, the hospital or clinic will ask you to present your health insurance card. If you do not have the card with you, the hospital or clinic will still provide treatment, but you will then have to give the hospital or clinic full information on health insurance coverage by the following business day.
Also, you may have to pay your own funds for prescription drugs at the hospital pharmacy, rather than have the costs submitted directly by the hospital to the insurance company, if you cannot present proof of insurance.
If you will be traveling during the next Spring break or once the semester ends, it is especially important to have your insurance ID with you.
Your Spring health insurance covers you through August 14, 2008 and the Fall health insurance coverage begins August 15, 2008.
3. Early Registration for Fall 2008 Begins Tuesday, April 2
Fall 2008 Early Registration will run from April 2 to May 9, 2008. The system will be available from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m. (22 hrs. per day) seven days a week. Students’ time tickets (registration times) may be obtained from BU Brain, the student portal at http://bubrain.binghamton.edu You will need your BU user ID and pods password to sign-in.
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 “View Grades and Credits.”
Before signing in to BU Brain, please read this important message that explains some of the new features you will encounter when advance registering: http://banner.binghamton.edu/students/
Check the Registration Times link from the BUSI Web Center for a list of the starting times. For full details, visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/newinfo.html#regdates
The Schedule of Classes for Fall 2008 is now available at http://bubrain.binghamton.edu/ 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.
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.
4. J.U.M.P. Nation Sponsoring Buses to New York City Thursday April 3
Looking for an inexpensive way to travel to New York City later this week? The BU student organization J.U.M.P. Nation is sponsoring two buses to New York City on Thursday, April 3rd and returning Sunday, April 6th. For one way, the price of the bus is $20. The roundtrip price is $30. For more information, please email Monica.Aurelien@gmail.com
5. Next International Coffee Hour is Friday, April 4
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 4 from 3:30-5:00pm in the
University Union Old Union Hall.
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.
6. Deadline for Rosa Colecchio Travel Award for Dissertation Research Enhancement Extended to April 4
Graduate doctoral students who have been admitted to candidacy are invited to apply for the Rosa Colecchio Travel Award for Dissertation Research Enhancement. The travel award must enhance the dissertation in a way that would not be accomplished otherwise. Supported activities may include travel for research dependent upon:
The application deadline, as stated on the Graduate School’s website is March 28, 2008, however the Graduate School will accept applications through April 4th. More information can be found on their website at http://gradschool.binghamton.edu/cs/rcaward.asp
7. Free Concert Friday April 4 at 7:00pm: “Building Our Beloved Community in a Season of Non-Violence”
Flutist and Producer Ms. Pamela Whitman returns to the City of Binghamton’s April “First Friday” event on April 4, 2007 with a multi-media concert created from Binghamton campus and community photographs. The concert is free and will include performances by the Greater Binghamton Beloved Community Gospel Choir. The performance will be held at 7:00pm at Binghamton’s West Middle School Theater. There is no admission charge. For more information, contact Binghamton University’s Multicultural Resource Center at 607-777-4472.
8. Are You A Freshman Or Senior Undergraduate Student? Have You Been Selected To Respond To The NSSE?
Randomly selected freshmen and senior undergraduate students have received an email in February from President DeFleur regarding the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). If you were among those randomly selected to complete the survey and have not yet responded, reminder messages will be sent on April 1 and again on April 16. The subject of the message will be: "A Reminder: Complete the National Survey of Student Engagement and make a difference."
Why is the NSSE so important? The survey asks questions about learning, academic experiences, student-faculty involvement and the campus environment. Binghamton uses the results to determine ways to improve the undergraduate experience for students. Binghamton’s data is also compared with data from other peer U.S. institutions. So, if you receive an email message about NSSE, please complete the survey!
9. H-1B Visa Issues are at the Forefront This Week
Our readers who are familiar with the H-1B “specialty occupations” visa know that Tuesday April 1, 2008 will be the first day that H-1B petitions subject to the visa “cap” or limit can be filed by employers to hire foreign nationals with bachelor’s degrees or higher for the new federal fiscal year. The fiscal year starts October 1, 2008. So, it is on April 1 that all “cap-subject” H-1B petitions with start dates of October 1, 2008 will begin to be processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The April 1 date is being watched closely, because many predict that the number of H-1B visas will be used up very quickly. Those “cap-subject” applications received on the first five business days starting April 1 (for 2008, April 1-7) will be placed into a random selection process. USCIS will publish an announcement once all available H-1B visas that are “cap-subject” are accounted for. For full details, please refer to last week’s ISSS-BU News, which featured an article on this important topic:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/news/isssbu2008/Mar242008.html#six
To read the ISSS Frequently Asked Questions About H-1B Visas, visit:
http://isss.binghamton.edu/imm/FAQ_H-1B.html
10. Reminder: Essential Workshop on Post-Graduation Employment Issues Wednesday, April 9
What may be the most important immigration workshop offered this year will be held Wednesday, April 9 at 4:30pm in Science Library Room 306. Will you be seeking employment in the United States after graduation? 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 will happen if all the available H-1B visas are taken soon after April 1, 2008, which is the earliest date for submitting an H-1B petition with an October 1, 2008 start date? 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, immigration attorney Rosanne Meyer 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.
11. The Anderson Center Presents An Edgy Carmen on April 15
On Tuesday, April 15, 8:00p.m., Binghamton University’s Anderson Center for the Performing Arts presents The St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre in a uniquely innovative and surreal version of the traditional Carmen ballet.
Carmen, a timeless story of love and jealousy, is the basis of Georges Bizet’s opera of the same title and has had many adaptations including various film versions such as Cecil B. DeMille’s silent film, a dance film with flamenco and even a hip hop version on MTV starring Beyoncé.
Choreographer Yuri Petukhov’s Carmen is a contemporary version with Russian elements in the music and dance. Don José is featured as the principal character and the ballet reflects his inner turmoil. The music is a blend of a variety of musical styles including jazz and rock through the use of traditional folk instruments and electronic sounds. Russian influences can also be seen in the fashionable costumes designed by a popular Russian designer. Of special interest are the pointe shoes with heels that were designed just for this ballet and have never been used before. Don’t miss this full-length ballet rife with passion, jealousy, violence and murder with a modern approach!
Prices: Students, $21; BU Faculty & Staff, $36; Senior Citizens, $36; General Public $41; (Group rates available). For information and tickets: call 607-777-ARTS or visit http://anderson.binghamton.edu
12. International Student Graduation Reception Friday, May 16
Students who are graduating, and exchange students completing their programs may wish to mark their calendars now for the 22nd annual International Student Graduation Reception, taking place Friday, May 16 at 7:00pm in the University Union Mandela Room. This is the Friday of commencement weekend.
Invitations will be sent by e-mail in several weeks, but we wanted to alert our readers who are graduating. If you graduated in December 2007 and are returning to campus for the May 17 and 18 commencement exercises, and would like to receive an invitation to the International Student Graduation Reception on May 16, please let ISSS know by sending an e-mail message with your current e-mail address to: isss@binghamton.edu
The information provided to us by the Registrar's Office only lists Spring 2008 graduates, but we know some Fall 2007 graduates will return for the ceremonies, and we want to be sure we don't miss anyone! Also, if you will graduate in Summer 2008 and would like to attend the International Student Graduation Reception on May 16, please follow the instructions above.
13. DISCO International Invites Japanese-English Bilingual Students to Join CFN
DISCO International, organizer of the biggest job fair for Japanese-English bilingual students, the Boston Career Forum, is currently conducting a spring registration campaign on it's website, CFN (CareerForum.Net). With summer just around the corner, this is a great time to start thinking about one's career.
Join CFN between now and June 16th and you are eligible to win prizes such as gift certificate, photo printers and more!! Please go to
http://www.careerforum.net/campaign/08spring/index.asp?lang=E&ref=c1
to learn more about the promotional spring campaign.
By registering to CFN, you have access to the following job fairs:
---* London Career Forum *---------
May 31st & June 1st, 2008
Olympia Conference Centre (London, UK)
Registration now open!
---------------------------------
---* Tokyo Summer Career Forum *---
July 2nd & 3rd, 2008
Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo, Japan)
Registration opens April
---------------------------------
--- * Los Angeles Career Forum * ---
Sept. 26th & 27th, 2008
Renaissance Hollywood Hotel (Los Angeles, CA) Registration opens April
---------------------------------
---* Boston Career Forum *---------
October 31st - November 2nd, 2008
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (Boston, MA) Registration opens May
---------------------------------
---* Tokyo Winter Career Forum *---
Mid-December
Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo, Japan)
Registration opens October
---------------------------------
For more details on their Career Forums, go to:
http://www.careerforum.net/event/index.asp?lang=E
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact them at cfn@careerforum.net
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