UPDATEA PUBLICATION OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL CENTER

February/March 2000

INTERNATIONAL

CENTER

Medford Campus

STAFF

Jane Etish-AndrewsDirector

Janie E. BessAssistant Director

Maria M. ConleyInternational Faculty

Advisor/-\a S. Rodriguez

International StudentAdvisor Assistant

Stephanie K. JavaheriStaff Assistant

Marlyne HaryonoStudent Assistant

Sharna McMickenStudent Assistant

"International Update"' isproduced primarily for the

Medford campus and isdesigned and

edited byStephanie K. Javaheri

^Submissions from the Tufts•.ommunity are always

welcome!

Come and celebrate the 16th a n n u a lIntercultural Festival with the Interna-tional Club and the International Center!The Intercultural Festival is a week-longseries of programs and events designed toexpose the Tufts community to interna-tional issues and to promote learning andunderstanding of various countries andcultures from around the world and fromwithin the U.S.

This-year's Festival will-include some ofthe following events: International FoodFair on Tuesday(2/22) in the CampusCenter; cultural dance bands, such as Fan-tasia performing live Latino music onFriday(2/25) at the Catholic Center; danceworkshops including swing, salsa/merengue; photo exhibit of Ghana atCapen House; Caribbean Night;Jamaican- American author, Patricia Pow-ell will read from her book The Pagodaand movies will be shown nightly in theculture houses.

The week will culminate in the annualParade of Nations Show in Cohen Audi-torium on Saturday (2/26). The showincludes an ethnic fashion show and live

(Continued on page 3)

IMMIGRATION TRENDSThe International Center has been expe-riencing delays in the processing of im-migration documents for students, fac-ulty and research scholars over the pastyear. Unfortunately this trend is contin-uing into the new year and is anticipatedto get worse. Three primary issues are:

H-1B visas: This visa category is usedby Tufts for international faculty andresearch scholars. There is a limitationof visas available annually and the nu-merical limit for this year is 1 15,000new H-1B visas. It is anticipated thatthe total numbers will be used up byMarch, 2000. A new set of numbers willnot be available until October 1 , 2000.This will have an immediate effect onmany departments and individuals whowould be using the H-1B visa categoryin order to work at Tufts. The Univer-sity has lobbied for congressional sup-port of a separate H-1B visa categoryfor universities and colleges. In thisway, we would not be competing forvisa numbers with the high tech indus-tries who are the heaviest users of thisvisa category.

(Continued on page 2)

Inside this Issue...Career Notes

Practical/Academic Training Information

Important Tax Information

Page 4

Page 5

Page 7

Page UPDATE

Tf/e we&momThe International Center, located on the firstfloor of Ballou Hall, telephone 61 7/627- fll3458. provides counseling to internationalstudents, coordinates international activitieson campus, and assists students, faculty andresearch scholars with immigrationregulations and procedures. Our servicesare provided to undergraduates enrolled inLiberal Arts and Engineering as wellgraduate students and faculty/scholarsArts & Sciences. Engineering, the School ofNutrition, The Jean Mayer Human ResearchCenter on Aging (HNRCA), The BostonSchool of Occupational TherapySchool of Veterinary Medicine, theMuseum School and the New EnglandConservatory, and only faculty/scholars

the FletcherDiplomacy.

eWe advise and counsel on various issuesincluding language difficulties, housing/

MB roommate difficulties, cultural adjustment MBand employment regulations. Please feelfree to set up an appointment to speak with

ADDRESS UPDATE

All mailings from the International Center to stu-dents/ scholars are sent using labels generated fromthe Registrar's Office and the International Center.If you do not keep your address & phone numberupdated with the Registrar and with us, we willbe unable to reach you. Please update this infor-mation at the beginning of each year and after everytime you move. We appreciate your assistance!

(Trends, Continued from page I)

Collection of Immigration Fee; In 1996 U.S.Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reformand Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996,(IIRIRA). This Act required that INS develop andimplement a program to track F-l and J-l stu-dents, faculty and research scholars in the U.S.and to collect a fee from them for the cost of run-ning the tracking program. Although this trackingprogram is not yet ready to be implemented, INSwas legislated to collect a $95 fee from each personwho entered the U.S. on or after August 1, 1999.The University is currently lobbying Congress re-garding the fee and its collection. We will keep youinformed of any developments that take place overthe next few months.

Practical Training Applications: There are seri-ous delays with the processing of Pre and PostCompletion Practical Training Applications for F-lvisa holders. Once an application is received by4he Immigration andNaturalizatieBr Sefviee-€enter—;in Vermont, there is a minimum wait of threemonths for the application to be reviewed andcard to be produced. This means that individualswho are hoping to start jobs need to plan ahead toallow sufficient time in obtaining authorization towork. Anyone interested in Practical Training mustattend a workshop session with the InternationalCenter staff in order to understand the process andrequirements. The University is working with itscontacts at the Vermont Service Center, along withcolleagues at other schools, to put pressure on INSto expedite the application process. Unfortunately,we seem to be facing a second year of serious de-lays without any improvements in sight.

**The International Center is involved in advocacyfor its international students, faculty and scholarson regional and national levels. This brief updateon three key issues is to keep you informed of thecurrent issues. If you would like to discuss anyquestions or concerns with the staff, do not hesitateto contact us.

UPDATE Page 3

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LIVE IN THEINTERNATIONAL HOUSE

The International House (I-House), locatedat 13 Sawyer Ave., is a residence made upof students from around the globe, includ-ing the U.S. I-House members often spon-sor international dinners, lectures, andties.

3

Undergraduate students who are eligiblefor on-campus housing may apply to live

sin the I-House.

3 Applications for the I-House are available 1

at the International Center. The deadlinefor new applicants is Wednesday, March 8.

3 Those who already live there and wish to1

re-apply have an application—deadline of3 Friday, March 3. Interviews will take place t

on March 9, 10 and 13.

The philosophy of the I-House supports an1

equal balance of both U.S. and interna-tional student participants. Please encour-,age interested American friends to getinvolved in these programs!

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TRAVEL REMINDER

If you are travelling outside the U.S., includingCanada or Mexico, for vacation or business pur-poses, please re-that country'ssulate to deter-visa to enterSome tripscelled due to lack ofing getting a visa.

member to check withembassy or con-

mine if you need atheir country,

have had to be can-prior planning regard-

International Center is pleased to an-JL nounce that Stephanie Javaheri has assumed

the Staff Position in the International Center. Shebegan working at Tufts over the summer monthswhen she filled in for Monica Rodriguez, duringher maternity leave. Stephanie has recently com-pleted a master's degree from Lesley College'sIntercultural Relations Program. She is originallyfrom Maine and has spent some time living injEngland and Brazil. As well, she has travelledthroughout Europe and parts of Africa. She re-cently got married to a Persian-American. A trueinterculturalist, we are excited to have her as aImember of the International Center staff.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

2000 Year of the Dragon

(Festival Continued from page I)

entertainment performed by student groups rep-resenting many cultures. The winner of theOliver Chapman Leadership Award will beannounced at the Parade of Nations, honoring asenior who has demonstrated outstanding lead-ership and community service to the interna-tional community in and around Tufts.

Look for the schedule of events in the TuftsDaily. Contact Jacob Silberberg x77625 or theInternational Center x73458 for more info.

Page 4 UPDATE

^

Job Interviewing Skills/ Job SearchWorkshops

for International Students

The International Center and the Career PlanningCenter will co-sponsor workshops designed es-

pecially for international students. "U.S. JobSearch for International Students" will beheld on Monday, March 6, 2000, and"Interview Skills for International Students"

'will be held on Monday, March 13, 2000. Bothworkshops will be held in the Career Services

, Recruiting Office on the ground level of Tisch- Library from 4-5pm.

N Signup is required. Please call the InternationalCenter at 627-3458 to reserve your place.

INTERNET RESOURCESfor international Jobs

www.monster.com: includes in-ternational listingswww.mol-usa.com: for jobs inMalaysiawww.asia-net.com: for Asia list-ings, mostly Japan and Chinawww.employment.com.au: forjobs in Australiawww.nexus.ch: for jobs inSwitzerlandwww.overseasjobs.comwww.dbm.com/jobguide/inter-nat.html

VISA OPTIONS FOR WORKING IN THE U.S.AFTER GRADUATION

Am I able to work more than one year after I gradu-ate?If so, what do I do to legally enable myself to workfor an extended period of time?

Come to these workshops, conducted by local immi-gration attorneys, to learn the answers to these andother important work-related questions. Learningabout obtaining an H-1B visa can be particularlybeneficial to students interested in demonstratingtheir ability for long-term work to their prospectiveemployer. These workshops, sponsored by the Inter-national Center will be held on Tuesday, April 4 andWednesday, April 26 from 4:00 - 5:00 pm. Reser-vations required. Please call the International Centerat 627-3455 to reserve your place. -

Country-Specific Employment Guides

The International Center often receives career guidebooks for graduates of American universities whoare returning home to work after graduation. Cur-rently the office has copies of these guides forstudents from Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia , HongKong, Central Europe, Venezuela and Russia. Ifyou are going home to start your career, stop by theInternational Center to receive this information.

] JOB FAIRS

] French Job Fair: The Forum USA 2000 is an1 annual job fair sponsored by the French Embassy. ItI will be held in Boston from March 25th-27th. The1 purpose of this event is to give French graduates ini the U.S. a chance to meet executives from FrenchI companies. Registration is free, but the deadline is| February 15, 2000. Please check out their websitei for further information: www.forumusa.org.

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UPDATE PageS

PRACTICAL / ACADEMIC TRAINING:WORKING IN THE US

International students who are graduating are eligibleto work in a job related to their field of study. Youmust, however, apply for Practical Training (for F-lstudents) or Academic Training (for J-l students) inorder to gain legal work permission from the Immi-gration and Naturalization Service (INS).The applica-tion process requires initial review of your submitteddocuments by the International Center. After this, theINS must review and approve your application. Pro-cessing is taking 3-4 months- start early!

F-l students may apply for Practical Training up to120 days before and up to 30 days after yourgraduation date. Your application deadline is June21, 2000!

' *1 studeiitsmay~apply ~toi A^duciim; ILune before your graduation date and no later than30 days after graduation. A job offer is requiredas well as a recommendation letter from youradvisor.

Practical Training WorkshopsPractical Training workshops are being held weekly.Reservations are required, please call the Interna-tional Center at 627-3458 to reserve a place. Indi-vidual appointments to discuss work authorizationwill be scheduled only after a student has attended aworkshop or in the case of a scheduling conflict.

Summer EmploymentIn order to work off-campus over the summermonths, you need to get legal permission to workfrom the Immigration & Naturalization Service.You must also demonstrate to the InternationalCenter that you have been offered a position of em-ployment. This process takes 3-4 months to com-plete. If you are considering work options for thesummer, attend one of the International Center'sveekly practical training sessions to learn about the

process of what is called Pre-Completion PracticalTraining.

ATTENTION!!

H-IB Visa Holders:It is possible to apply for an H-1VISA STAMPrenewal while in the U.S., if you already have anH-1B visa stamp in your passport that has ex-pired or is within 60 days of expiring. A visastamp extension takes approximately 10 weeks toprocess.

TN Visa Holders:Are you tired of having to travel to the borderannually to renew your visa?You can apply for an extension of your TN visastamp while in the U.S. It is best to apply approxi-mately 60 days prior to the expiration of yourvisa stamp.

For more information on either of the above andan application form, please contact the Interna-tional Center x 73458.

PROCESSING TIMEFOR IMMIGRATION WORK

Keep in mind the timeframes needed by theInternational Center to process visa documentation:

Signature of Form 1-20 or Form IAP-66 for travel: 1 Week

F-l or J-l Program Extensions: 2 to 4 Weeks

Change of Status from one Non-Immigrant Status toAnother (i.e. F-l to J-l): 2 to 4 Weeks

School Transfers: 1 to 2 Weeks

Practical Training/Academic Training: 2 Weeks

Initial J-l Faculty/Research Scholar Visa: 2 Months

J-l Faculty/Research Scholar Extensions: 2 Months

Initial H-1B Faculty/Research Scholar Visa: 3 to 4 Months

H-1B Faculty/Research Scholar Extensions: 3 to 4 Months

Page 6 UPDATE

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INTERCULTURAL FESTIVAL

FEBRUARY 20 - 26, 2000

Saturday, February 26, PARADE OF NATIONSCohen Auditorium

(Open to Entire Community)

111111111111111

Friday, March 3, 2000Re-applications for International House due5:00 p.m.International Center, Ballou Hall

Monday, March 6, 2000Foreign Tax Information Workshop11:30-1:00 p.m.Olin Center, Room 11, Medford Campus(This will be the ONLY tax workshop offered onall campuses).

Monday, March 6, 2000U.S. Job Search for International Students4:00-5:00 p.m.Career Services Recruiting OfficeGround Level, Tisch Library

Wednesday, March 8, 2000New applications for International House due5:00 p.m.International Center, Ballou Hall

March 9, 10 and 13, 2000International House InterviewsCheck with the International Center for locationand times

Monday, March 13, 2000Interview Skills for International Students4:00-5:00 p.m.Career Services Recruiting OfficeGround Level, Tisch Library

^

Tuesday, April 4, 2000Visa Options for Working in the U.S. AfterGraduation4:00-5:00 p.m.Large Conference RoomCampus Center

Wednesday, April 26, 2000Visa Options for Working in the U.S. AfterGraduation4:00-5:00 p.m.Large Conference RoomCampus Center

All programs require reser-vations. Please call the Inter-national Center at 627-3458to reserve your place.

UPDATE Page 7

"FOREIGN TAX INFORMATION WORKSHOPS

Offered to ALL International Students, Faculty & Research Scholarsfrom the Medford, Grafton & HNRCA Campuses

This will be the ONLY tax workshop offered on all campuses

Monday, March 6th11:30-1:00

Olin Center, Room 11, Medford Campus

F R E Epresented by the Accounting Firm of

Freshman & Ferraro, PC, Boston, MA

OTHER FREE WORKSHOPS OFFEREDBY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS)

You must register in advance by mailing or faxing a registrationform (617) 565-1379. Registration forms are located in the Ginn Library.

Workshops will be held at the IRS Office in Boston(John F. Kennedy Bldg., Govt. Ctr. stop on Green Line)

Details & Instructions on this session along with Tax Formsare available at the Fletcher Ginn Library.

All Sessions are from 2:30-5:30pm

Thursday, March 2, 2000 Thursday, March 23, 2000Thursday, March 9, 2000 Thursday, March 30, 2000Thursday, March 16, 2000 Thursday, April 6, 2000

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS & SCHOLARS WILL BE RECEIVINGA SEPARATE MAILING WITH MORE DETAILED TAX INFORMATION

DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

Pageg UPDATE

New Organization being formed

ASSOCIATION OFSOUTH EAST ASIAN

STUDENTS AT TUFTS

Any questions? Call Mike @781-306-9839.

The Eliot-Pearson Department ofChild Development presents...

Looking for papers written by African, Caribbeanand African-American Students on the role offeminism in their culture to be published into a

journal. Deadline is March 17, 2000. For more in-formation please contact Tufts senior Tiphanie

Galiber-Gundel at 617-627-1653 orcreatiphanie@hotmail.com

A series of movies about children's livesaround the world.

[Shown the first Friday of every month from[noon until approximately 2:00 in the Eliot-[Pearson A/V Room at 105 College Ave. Ad-Imission is free and open to the entire Tufts[community. Pizza is provided!

Friday, March 3 PONETTEFriday, April 7 MA VIE EN ROSE

Friday, May 5 WELCOME TO THEDOLLHOUSE

UPDATEInternational CenterTufts UniversityBallou Hall, 1st FloorMedford, MA 02155Phone:(617)627-3458Fax: (617)627-3059