GENERAL UPDATES & REMINDERS
30 January 2007
New Hours in ISSS: Starting Thursday, 1 February, ISSS will be open until 7 p.m. every Thursday through the end of the semester. We hope this will help those of you on internships who sometimes have trouble making it to our office before we close. Students will be seen on a walk-in basis.
Reduced Courseload?: This is the final call for RCLs (Reduced Courseload Request forms) for Spring 2007. We have already started SEVIS record verification for all F-1 and J-1 visa holders. If you are a graduate student with less than 9 credits or an undergraduate with less than 12 credits, you must submit an RCL before Friday, 2 February at 12 noon. Be sure you get an e-mail verification from our office stating that your form has been approved; this e-mail should be printed and kept with your other important immigration papers.
Taxes: The W-2s for those of you employed last year have been sent out by the University and Research Foundation. If you don't have one, contact your employer. Be sure you have one before you do your taxes. Also, remember that ALL F AND J STUDENTS MUST SUBMIT A TAX FORM, EVEN IF THEY DID NOT WORK. To get your password for CINTAX tax preparation software, read the information sent out to the listservs last week.
Research Foundation Employees: If you have not yet filled out your tax employment paperwork, please be sure you have completed 2007 tax paperwork. You can stop by ISSS during I-9 processing hours.
Practical Training Questions?: Are you an F-1 student who has read the info on CPT and OPT but still has questions about practical training options? If so, stop by for Q & A Express to get the quickest answers possible. Please note that we cannot check over applications to verify their completion, but we are happy to answer any specific questions you have. Q & A Hours are on Mondays from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. and Thursdays from 1:30 until 3.
Practical Training Workshops: To ensure you get the maximum information from the practical training workshops for CPT and OPT, please be sure you arrive on time or before the published workshop hour. This also helps to minimize disruptions for the presenters and other attendees. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Potomac Mills Shopping Trip: Join other students for a trip to Potomac Mills, a very large mall in northern Virginia. The trip is on Saturday, 17 February, leaving at 8 a.m. and returning at 6 p.m. The cost is $5 and sign-up should be done in OSAL in 2122 Webb. Space is limited!
Phone Scam Alert: Students elsewhere in Virginia have received phone calls where the person who answered is told that s/he has won a contest but that some details are needed before the prize can be awarded. Please remember that you should NEVER provide personal information to anyone that calls you; simply get the number for the company and tell them you'll call them at a more convenient time. Also, if someone calls you to sell you something, ask them for a web site, say you'll read through the information and then get back with them. Sales people may be persistent but you'll need to be even more persistent and vigilant to protect your name, birthdate, Social Security Number and your mother's maiden name--this is basically all that is needed to open credit cards in your name.
