Submit Announcement for SCISNEWS

 
 
A News Publication from the Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker Center for International Services for Students of Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Friday, January 12, 2007

Happy New Year

More Pictures at the Photo Gallery
   
Immigration & Administration

WELCOME TO ALL OF OUR NEW STUDENTS!!!

Almost 90 new students have braved the snow and cold winter weather (which finally arrived this week!) to begin their programs of study at Syracuse University and/or SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry this semester. They have been engaged in new student arrival seminars, getting health insurance, completing clearance procedures, and attending orientation programs. About 70% of our new arrivals are from India, and about 95% of all new students are graduate students.

We welcome all of you and hope that your adjustment to Syracuse, your academic department, and life in the United States is successful!

SLUTZKER CENTER OPEN ON SUNDAY JANUARY 14, 2007: SPECIAL ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT SEMINAR SESSION AT 11:30AM

Because many new students will be arriving this weekend, some administrative offices on campus will be open for advising and assistance. The Slutzker Center will be open on Sunday, January 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Almost no offices will be open on Monday, January 15, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Classes begin on Tuesday!

There will be a special On-Campus Employment Seminar on Sunday, January 14, at 11:30am.

You may also complete the I-9 paperwork if:

  • You have attended this or a previous on-campus employment seminar and have the gold 1/2 sheet form distributed at the seminar to verify your attendance
  • Have a job offer indicated on an Employer Certification Memo

Documents required for the I-9 - ORIGINALS and TWO COPIES of:
Passport -
Visa -
I-94 Card -
Stamped I-20 or DS-2019 (I-20 or DS-2019 copy must be "portrait style")
ONE copy of your:
Current class schedule indicating the number of credits you are registered for

Additionally:

  • If you are an SU athlete, you must complete the Student-Athlete Employment Clearance Process at the Manley Field House Compliance Office and submit a copy with your I-9 documents
  • If you are a J-1 student with sponsorship other than SU or ESF, obtain a letter from your sponsor approving your on-campus employment and submit it with your I-9 documents
  • If you are an ELI student, obtain a letter from ELI verifying full-time status and work eligibility and submit it with your I-9 documents.

The I-9 will be entered in the system only if you have registered for classes. You must bring copy of your class schedule with your name and SU ID number on it for I-9 processing.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. REMEMBRANCE: JANUARY 15

On Monday, January 15th the university will be officially closed for the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Holiday. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the key leaders in the civil rights movement in America and an advocate of nonviolent protest.

There are a variety of activities taking place in which students may participate. Please go to http://sunews.syr.edu to see various stories on programs to participate in both on campus and in the Syracuse community.

Due to the holiday, the on-campus bus schedule will be running on the holiday schedule on Monday the 15th. A major event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. will take place on Saturday, January 20. Check these websites for more details: http://suevents.syr.edu/main and http://multicultural.syr.edu/home

SU BASKETBALL GAME: STRICT PARKING ENFORCEMENT

There will be a big home basketball game on Saturday afternoon at 1pm in the Carrier Dome.

As a result, access to the campus by car will be very limited and parking regulations will be STRICTLY ENFORCED!!! If you park your car illegally on a city street or in a campus lot, it is likely to be towed away! You will have to find it and pay very high towing fees, and a fine.

It is best not to drive your car to campus on the day of a home basketball or football game!

NEW STUDENT CLEARANCE PROCESS
New international students must complete all of the tasks listed on the Spring 2007 Clearance Form and then submit the completed form with any necessary documentation to the Slutzker Center. Successful completion of the clearance process will release the hold on your student account so that you may register for classes. Please note that attendance at the January 12th orientation session (1-5pm) is required for clearance.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORIENTATION, JAN 12, 1-5PM

The New International Student Orientation will be held Friday, January 12, 2007 from 1-5pm in the Watson Auditorium. All new international students are required to attend. The session will provide an overview of immigration regulations and relevant information to help new international students adjust to University life and the U.S. culture. A Welcome Dinner sponsored by Lillian Slutzker will be offered following the orientation at 5pm at the Slutzker Center.

J-1 STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS SPONSORED BY SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIERMENTS

As an Exchange Visitor under the Department of State's J-1 nonimmigrant visa program, you are required to maintain health insurance for yourself and any J-2 dependents during your stay in the United States. The medical insurance coverage for you and your dependent family members must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Medical benefits of at least $50,000 per accident or illness;
  • A deductible not to exceed $500 per accident or illness;
  • Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of the exchange visitor to his/her home country in the amount of $10,000; and
  • Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500.

Please note that not all health insurance plans include medical evacuation and repatriation coverage (e.g., Blue Point does not include medical evacuation and repatriation). Accordingly, you may need to purchase additional insurance to supplement your current health insurance coverage. Medical evacuation and repatriation coverage can be purchased for $24/year through MedEx. Additional information and brochures are available online and at the Slutzker Center for International Services.

SEVIS authorized Responsible Officers of the J program are required to maintain proof that Exchange Visitors have adequate insurance in effect throughout the entire time they are participating in the sponsor's program. Proof of adequate health insurance coverage must indicate the duration of your coverage including the end date of the policy. If your actual health insurance card does not provide this information, you should make a copy of your insurance plan details that indicate the insurance coverage start and end dates. You must also provide proof of medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. A valid MedEx card or print out of your current and valid insurance plan details that indicate medical evacuation and repatriation coverage will be accepted as adequate proof of coverage.

If you are sponsored by Syracuse University, the only Responsible Officers who have access to your J SEVIS record are Slutzker Center advisors. Responsible officers issue your DS-2019, can update your exchange visitor program information, and also authorize certain benefit of maintaining your status. You are required to show proof of your current, valid health insurance whenever you request any of the following benefits from a Slutzker Center J-1 Responsible Officer:

  • SEVIS validation upon arrival and completion of the check-in process. The Slutzker Center will NOT validate your SEVIS record until you provide copies of an adequate health insurance policy for yourself and any J-2 dependents. The policy must be valid for a full year or if your program is less than a year, insurance must be valid for the duration of your program. Please note that your SEVIS record must be validated within 30 days of your arrival or else you will be out of legal status in the U.S.
  • Travel signature for re-entry to the U.S. Responsible Officers in the Slutzker Center will not sign DS-2019s for international travel and re-entry to the U.S. unless you provide proof of health insurance coverage for you and any J-2 dependents that may be traveling with you.
  • Extension of J-1 program and DS-2019. No extensions will be granted until health insurance is updated and copies of your plan are provided to the Slutzker Center.
  • For J-1 students only: Authorization of Academic Training.
  • Adequate health insurance should be purchased for a full year and renewed each year thereafter until the end of your program, unless the J-1 exchange visitor program is for less than one year. In the case of a program that is for less than one year, the J-1 exchange visitor would only have to provide proof of coverage for duration of the program period.

PASSPORTS REQUIRED FOR U.S, CANADIAN, MEXICAN, AND BERMUDAN AIR TRAVELERS STARTING THIS JANUARY

The U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection published a final rule to implement Phase One of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The rule, effective January 23, 2007, will require valid passports of all U.S. citizens as well as all nonimmigrant aliens with citizenship in Canada, Bermuda, and Mexico, departing from or entering the United States from within the Western Hemisphere at air ports-of-entry. A separate, future rulemaking will address land and sea travelers.

Additional information is available at online at the NAFSA website and the Federal Register.

ENGLISH CONVERSATION GROUPS, LANGUAGE LEARNING SOFTWARE, AND LIBRARY TOURS: FREE AT CENTRAL LIBRARY

English Language Conversation Groups
Onondaga County Public Library's Central Library is offering English Language Conversation Groups for English language learners with beginner through advanced-level speaking skills. Conversation Groups are led by one or two tutors, last one hour, and provide a relaxed, small group setting to practice speaking skills.

When: Mondays and Wednesdays

Where: Central Library in the Galleries of Syracuse, 477 S. Salina St.

Cost: Free

To join a conversation group, contact Amy Thorna, Adult Literacy Coordinator, at 435-1835.

English Language Learning Software
Central Library has just added Tell Me MoreŠ English language learning software to its Verizon Adult Literacy Lab. Tell Me MoreŠ has been described as the closest thing to a live human tutor on the market today and is available in the lab in beginner, intermediate, and intermediate+ levels.

If you are interested in using this software or other programs in the Verizon Literacy Lab, please attend an orientation session offered Mondays and Fridays in January at 1pm on the 4th floor of Central Library or call 435-1835 to schedule an orientation appointment.

Library Tours for Adult English as a Second Learner (ESL) Learners
Special tours of the Central Library are being offered for adult English language learners. Tour participants will receive assistance in obtaining a library card, searching the library catalogue, and using the Central Library website from home. (Limited Spanish translation is available.)

Tours will be held the first Wednesday of every month at 3pm. To request another time, please contact Amy Thorna, Adult Literacy Coordinator, at 435-1835.


 
Events & Notices

CAMPUS EVENTS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK

Fri
Jan 12

Sat
Jan 13

Sun
Jan 14

Mon
Jan 15

Tues
Jan 16

Wed
Jan 17

9am-12pm
English Language Assessment Exam—Gifford Auditorium

Noon
J-1 Scholar Orientation
Slutzker Center

1-5pm
New Int’l Student Orientation
Watson Auditorium

11am-noon
SU 101 Session—304 AB Schine 7pm

1 pm
SU Mens Basketball vs Villanova - Carrier Dome Orange Night Live—
Panasci Lounge, Schine

10am-4pm
Slutzker Center Open

11am-noon
SU 101 Session—304 AB Schine







 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Holiday—University Offices Closed







 

10am
On-Campus Employment SeminarSlutzker Center

11am
Travel Seminar
Slutzker Center

7:00pm
SU Women's Basketball vs. Pittsburgh

12:30pm
Ranjita Mohanty

2pm
Travel Seminar
Slutzker Center

3pm
Practical Training Seminar—Slutzker Center

7:30pm
Syracuse Stage: "Spike Heels"

RIDE THE BOBSLED, LUGE, AND MORE: RECREATION SERVICES TRIPS TO LAKE PLACID, NY

Ride the Bobsled or Luge in Lake Placid, NY! Also included in the trip price are tours of the Winter Olympic Musuem, the Olympic Ski Jumping Center, free time in downtown Lake Placid, a Gondola ride up Whiteface Mountain, and a boxed lunch.

Two trips are currently scheduled for this year:

. Feb. 3, 2007 (Luge)
. Feb. 10, 2007 (Bobsled)
Both trips leave Syracuse University's College Place (in front of Sims Hall) at 6:00am and return to SU around 11:00pm.

The cost of each trip:
$45.00 for SU Undergraduate Students
$95.00 for all other SU / ESF ID Card holders

For more information, please visit http://outdoored.syr.edu or call 315-443-4386. Sign up at Recreation Services, 241 Archbold Gym, by the Thursday before each trip date. This trip tends to sell out fast, so reserve your spot today!

(IN)VISIBLE MINORITY: RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA AMONG LGBT, PEOPLE OF COLOR WEBINAR

The LGBT Resource Center invites students, faculty and staff to participate in a professional development web-seminar:

(In)Visible Minority: Racism and Homophobia among LGBT People of Color

When: Tuesday, February 13

Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm

Where: LGBT Resource Center, 750 Ostrom Avenue

This webinar presentation seeks to deconstruct the layers of oppression faced by LGBT people of color through the presentation of student interviews, media depictions, reviews of research and campus practices, and personal experiences of presenters and session attendees. This session is sponsored by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).

For more information on this web-seminar, please visit: http://members.myacpa.org/Scripts/4Disapi.dll/4DCGI/events/115.html?Action=Conference_Detail,p> Please do not register through this website as we have already paid the registration dues. Please email Amit Taneja at ataneja@syr.edu or call 315-443-3092 to RSVP, or if you have any questions. RSVP is required by February 5, 2007.

Advisor's Corner

LEASE DISPUTES AND GENERAL LANDLORD COMPLAINTS

If you have a disagreement with your landlord concerning either of your responsibilities, it is best to try to reach an agreement.

  • After reaching an agreement with your landlord in person or over the phone, follow up your discussion in writing. Include anything you or your landlord agreed to in your letter.

  • If a dispute still exists between you and your landlord, you may want to consult Student Legal Services (443 4532). They can provide free legal consultation ad advice about landlord tenant issues.

  • You can also file a complaint against your landlord with the New York State attorney general's office. To obtain a complaint form, call 448 4800 (ask for the Consumer Affairs Department) or 1 800 771 7755 (Consumer Helpline); visit www.oag.state.ny.us (go to Consumer Issues); or contact the Office of Off Campus Student Services.

  • When you file your complaint with the attorney general's office, include a copy of your lease and copies of any correspondence you've had with your landlord concerning the problem.

  • Once you file your complaint, staff from the attorney general's office will conduct an informal mediation session between you and your landlord, usually by phone, and provide advice for resolving the dispute.

Tips provided by Off-Campus Student Services

WINTER CAR PREPAREDNESS

A message from the Off-Campus Student Services--

Your Disaster Supply Kit for Your Car:
. Windshield scraper and small broom
. Flashlight and extra batteries
. First Aid Kit with pocket knife
. Necessary current medications
. Blanket(s)
. Newspapers (for insulation)
. Plastic bags, or clean empty coffee cans (for sanitation)
. Extra set of mittens, socks, and a wool cap
. Small sack of sand (for generating traction under wheels)
. Small tolls (pliers, wrench, screwdriver) . Brightly colored cloth (to use as flag)
. Bottled water and non-electric can opener
. Non-perishable, easy to open food

In Case You Break Down:
1. Unless help is clearly visible, stay with your car.
2. Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna for rescuers to see.
3. Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour.
4. Keep the exhaust pipe clear so fumes will not back up in the car.
5. Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running so that you can be seen.
6. As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to keep blood circulation and to stay warm.
7. Keep one window which is away from the blowing wind slightly open to let in the air.

Tips and information provided by the American Red Cross and the New York State Police.


 

Copyright © 2007 LESCIS. All rights reserved. The Lillian and Emanuel Slutzker Center for International Services. Syracuse University
310 Walnut Place. Syracuse, NY 13244-2380 Phone: (315) 443-2457 - Fax: (315) 443-3091 . Email: lescis@syr.edu