September Newsletter

Welcome or welcome “back” to a new semester!  We in the ISSO wish you both a productive and an enjoyable semester.  As always, our staff is available to provide information, services and programs that help international students to be successful and to have positive experiences here in the U.S.  In addition, we are your first source for accurate and up-to-date immigration information, so we hope that you will come to us with any questions you may have.  Also, please remember to check out our website for all the latest information.  www.isso.uncc.edu .

 The ISSO Staff

Marian Beane, Director
mebeane@email.uncc.edu

Denise Medeiros, Assistant Director
dvmedei@email.uncc.edu

 Debbie Wilson, Administrative Assistant
dawilson@email.uncc.edu

Chau Tran, SEVIS Coordinator
cbtran@email.uncc.edu

 
1.  Reminder to Maintain Fulltime Status

Just a reminder that dropping below fulltime enrollment is a violation of your immigration status unless you qualify under one of the limited exceptions (contact Marian Beane or Denise Medeiros to see if you qualify).

Again, fulltime is defined as the following:

·        Undergraduate = at least 12 credit hours

·        Graduate = at least 9 credit hours of coursework

·        Graduate with assistantship approved by Graduate School = at least 6 credit hours of coursework

·        Graduate who has completed all required coursework and is working on thesis or project only = no minimum hours required but must be registered for “thesis”, “project”, or “dissertation”.   

2. Update your LOCAL address in 49er Express

New students, if you haven’t done so already, please, please, please update your LOCAL address in 49er Express.  Without this information, we can’t report to USCIS that you are here and enrolled fulltime!  This address needs to be where you are currently residing in the Charlotte area.  If you’re not sure how to do it, see below for detailed instructions.

       Updating local & permanent address
      To update your local address in 49er Express:
      Go to “My Records”
      Go to “registration Self-Service”
      “Click here for Student Services”
       Under Personal Information, click on “Addresses”
       If “Local” doesn’t appear, go to “Add a new address” and add it in
       Do the same for permanent in order for bills, etc. to be mailed to you in Charlotte. 

3. OPT Information Sessions for December Graduates or Students in “Thesis Only” Wishing to Apply for OPT (F-1 students)

Information Sessions will be held for any December graduate or student in the thesis only portion of their program who is interested in applying for Optional Practical Training (work authorization in your field of study).  Please plan to attend one of the following sessions, so that we can answer all of your questions in a group!  Remember, you must apply for OPT prior to completion of your degree program.

·         Tuesday, September 27^th, 4pm (location to be determined – see website after 9/15/05)

·         Wednesday, September 28^th, 4pm (location to be determined – see website after 9/15/05)

4. Ifest 2005 – Represent Your Country!

UNC Charlotte’s 30^th annual International Festival (Ifest) will be held on Saturday, September 24th.  This event is attended by over 10,000 people in Charlotte and beyond, and over 50 countries are represented each year!  For more information on how to participate, send an email to Marian Beane, Chair of the Ifest Committee at mebeane@email.uncc.edu .
 

5. International Coffee Hour

We hope that you enjoyed the first International Coffee Hour of the semester, but if you weren’t able to go, don’t worry!  It is always held the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of each month, so you have many more chances to check it out!  Come and relax with coffee, snacks and good conversation!  Take a friend with you or meet one there.

Where?       The Prospector Faculty/Staff Dining Room
When?        Anytime between 4 and 6pm

6.  Conversation Partner Program

Attention new students!  Get your applications in now to participate in the Conversation Partner Program, a program that matches internationals with Americans for informal, one-on-one conversation about one hour a week.  The application is located at www.isso.uncc.edu/ProgramEvents.htm.  Deadline is September 12^th!

7.  Other Questions?

If you have other questions that we did not address in this newsletter, please let us know!  Send an email to Denise Medeiros dvmedei@email.uncc.edu or Marian Beane mebeane@email.uncc.edu or schedule an appointment.