Friday, October 3, 2008
Director’s Note: Lillian Slutzker’s 91st Birthday
Our wonderful benefactor, Lillian Slutzker, will celebrate her 91st birthday on Tuesday, October 7. We would like to give her birthday greetings from all over the world. If you would like to participate in this effort, please prepare a birthday card and drop it off at the Slutzker Center before 5 p.m. on Monday. I will take them to her Monday evening.
The card may be from your home country, or from the U.S. Perhaps you could write a message to her, in appreciation of her support for international students at Syracuse University and SUNY ESF. You might also wish to write a few lines about your culture’s respect for longevity and the wisdom of the elders in society. All of which, I am certain that Lillian would be pleased to read.
Lillian Slutzker has an esteemed place in the history of international students and scholars at Syracuse University. And her 91st birthday makes her place and achievements even more special. Your greetings to her on her birthday would be most appreciated! Thank you.
2010 Diversity VISA Lottery
The Diversity Visa lottery (DV) is a program that makes available up to 55,000 permanent resident immigrant visas by random selection through an annual DV lottery.
Applications for the 2010 lottery will be accepted from October 2 to December 1, 2008. Applicants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV) at www.dvlottery.state.gov during the registration period. Paper entries will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter. Heavy demand may result in website delays. No entries will be accepted after noon, EST, on December 1, 2008.
For DV-2010, natives of the following countries are not eligible to apply because the countries sent a total of more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years:
Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.
Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible. More info…
South Asian Dance Festival
Syracuse University South Asian Arts Foundation and syRAAScuse present a night of festive South Asian dancing and food at the Women's Building Gym on Friday, October 3 at 8 p.m. Navaratri is a nine-day festival celebrated by dancing Raas Garba or Dandiya in the night. The Navaratri dance festival on campus promises to be one of the most ethnic Indian nights on campus. The entry fee is $5 with your SU ID.
For more information/contact Rohan Sheth at 412-427-2783 or rohan.8612@gmail.com
or RSVP on Facebook
Day: Friday October 3
Time: 8:00pm
Location: Women's Building Gym
Cuban Salsa Classes
Designed for beginners, instructor Jose Miguel Hernandez will introduce students to the basic principles of timing, foot work and variations of turn patterns, incorporating body movements, arm placements, shoulder rolls and hand styling. Dress in comfortable clothes and shoes and bring a bottle of water and a towel. For more information visit Community Folk Art Center’s Website or contact Cjala Surratt
at 315.442.2943 or casurrat@syr.edu
Day: Begins Oct 6
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: 805 East Genesee Street
Arts: Life and the Traveler
"Life and the Traveler" explores treks to geographical places, real and imagined, as well as journeys to the inner-self. This free show will feature five new artists at Orange Line, including Marna Bell, Laura Celuch and Heather Kunst showing photography; Jim Reed with latex on canvas; and Jace Collins featuring works in acrylic, oil and paper on Plexiglas. For more information visit the events listing here.
Day: Saturday, Oct 4
Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Orange Line Gallery, 305 Montgomery St., Syracuse
World Music on campus
Antara Winds and African Alchemies will perform a free show on campus next Tuesday. While, Carrie Stinson will perform a free faculty cello recital on Thursday. Also on Tuesday, gear up for music from the deserts of Rajasthan, India with Rupayan.
Antara Winds and African Alchemies
Date: Tuesday, Oct 7
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Setnor Audiotorium, Crouse College
Rupayan
Date: Tuesday, Oct 7
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Hendricks Chapel
Carrie Stinson, Faculty Cello Recital
Date: Thursday, Oct 9
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Setnor Audiotorium, Crouse College
Favorites from the Bard
A collection of monologues, soliloquies and sonnets from Shakespeare performed by SSF Board members and Syracuse celebrities.
Date: Thursday, Oct 9
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Setnor Audiotorium, Crouse College
Travel Advisory: Carry Travel Documents Always
There have been increasing reports of surprise document checks at train stations and bus terminals by the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection (CBP).
International students and scholars are required to travel with originals of documents like: a valid student I.D., passport, I-20 (or DS 2019 for J-1 scholars) for verification purposes. This is true for all travel both within and outside the United States. Although legally permitted to travel within the United States, failure to produce the above documents has led to some international students being detained by the CBP.
Such checks are common at transportation hubs like Syracuse and Buffalo due to their proximity to the border. However, security checks at roadside checkpoints while travelling by car and on domestic routes are also becoming increasingly common. Authorities now ask international students to carry the above documentation (or at least a copy) even on a quick visit to downtown.
Apart from carrying all your documents while travelling, the Slutzker Center also recommends you to always let someone know before your travel out of town. Make sure you always have the contact information for someone at the Slutzker Center.
While it is within the CBP’s authority to conduct such procedures, one may register complaints against improper conduct by CBP agents. If at any point you feel treated discourteously or discriminated against, feel free to discuss your concerns with staff at the Slutzker Center for International Services.
For more information visit the CBP’s Web site or click here to read a USA Today about the CBP’s security checks. The article includes a Syracuse university professor as one of its main sources.
In Case of an Arrest
(used with permission from SUNY Binghamton’s Web site)
Although it is not a pleasant subject, there are a few situations where an international student might be arrested in the United States and charged with a crime. Common misdemeanor or felony arrests can include theft, drunk driving, shoplifting and drug possession.
SUNY Binghamton’s International Student and Scholar Office has published an article on its website that discusses the consequences such arrests can create with a student’s U.S. immigration status, even if the charges themselves are dismissed or reduced. Click here to read the article.