From: VISA Office
Date: April 29, 2020
Subject: ISS News, April 29, 2020: Good Luck with Finals, Study Break, Global Citizen Award Winners, Good Vibes, Tax Information, End of Semester Reminders, & More!


IS

April 29, 2020

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in this issue:

  1. End of Semester Reminders
  2. 2020 Global Citizen Award Winners
  3. ISSNews Summer Schedule
  4. Featured Events
  5. Good Vibes Only
  6. OH BMV Services Unavailable
  7. Census 2020
  8. Become a Career Peer
  9. Graduating Students- Important Tax Info to Ensure You Get Your W-2 for 2020
  10. Applying for the SSN While Social Security Office are Closed
  11. Good Luck with Finals!

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ISS Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during virtual advising hours,11am to 3pm.

There are no virtual advising hours on Wednesday.
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Appointments through Zoom or by phone can be requested by emailing international@case.edu. Please provide your full-name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.
Good Luck with Finals written in multicolored chalk

We're Here to Help!

The staff in ISS, University Counseling Services (UCS), and many, many other student service professionals across our campus are ready to help students through finals.

Connect with your faculty advisor or stop by to see your Navigator for assistance.

Not feeling well? Make an appointment to meet with University Health Service staff.

If you wonder how your academics might affect your immigration status, connect with ISS staff through email or virtual advising as soon as possible.

The university community is ready to support you!

keep calm the semester is about to end meme

End of Semester Reminders

If you have thoughts about traveling abroad during the summer, be sure to ask yourself these important questions, visit the links if you need to take action, and take the effects of COVID-19 into consideration as you make your plans:

Do I need to extend my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section.

Do I need to transfer my F-1 or J-1 SEVIS Record? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section.

Am I fully prepared to travel during the break so that I can return to campus smoothly?  In addition to having your I-20 or DS-2019 signed for travel, which you can read about here, if you’re an F-1 or J-1 student, please:

  • check the validity of the visa in your passport. US Embassies and Consulates have suspended services worldwide and there could be significant delays in visa issuances.  This delay could significantly affect your ability to return to the United States.
  • be aware of travel restrictions.  Travel restrictions are changing as the situation with COVID-19 evolves.  Unless travel restrictions loosen or lift entirely, it could be very difficult to enter the United States.
  • make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months into the future at all times.  Many government agencies are reducing and suspending services. Passport issuance could be an issue in your home country.  Please prepare as early as possible if you need to apply for a new passport.

Do you have more questions that you need help answering? Get in touch with ISS staff during advising hours or by email before you leave campus.

global citizen award logo

2020 Global Citizen Award Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Global Citizen Awards! The awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that champion internationalization at CWRU, enhance the international student experience, and exemplify the university's values of inclusion and diversity.

This year’s honorees were chosen for their incredible contributions to the CWRU university community.

The winners are:

Spirit of Service - Kai Wang

Unsung Champion - Fabiana Irigoyen Jimenez

Outstanding Student Organization - International Club

Outstanding Campus Partner in Collaboration - University Health & Counseling Services

Laurie D. Zelman International Undergraduate Student - Sharan Mehta

International Leader - Dr. Andrew Rollins

Elise Lindsay International Graduate Student - Vivek Saraswat

You can read more about the winners and watch the Global Citizen Award Ceremony here: https://case.edu/international/events/international-achievement-luncheon

Graduating Students- Important Tax Info to Ensure You Get Your W-2 for 2020

Every year, ALL individuals in F and J status must file taxes- including spouses, young children- even if they haven't earned any income!

The W-2 is a critical document for properly filing taxes. Every year between January and February, the university generates W-2 documents for individuals who have earned income from CWRU.

When your W-2 is generated, it's sent to your Permanent Address as listed in SIS. Please take a moment to verify that your correct Permanent Address is listed in SIS (make any updates as needed by December 15) to ensure that you'll receive your W-2.

If your Permanent Address is current, but you would prefer to have your W-2 sent to another address, it is necessary for you to include that address under the W-2 Override option in SIS no later than December 15. Using the W-2 Override function will maintain the integrity of your Permanent Address information and ensure that you receive your W-2 at the different, preferred address.

Please contact Payroll if you have questions about receiving your W-2.

w-2 image

Become a Career Peer

Post-Graduate Planning & Experiential Education is hiring Career Peers for Fall 2020. Students are encouraged to apply through Handshake. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Grisez-Shullick, lgshullick@case.edu. 

career peers image from https://case.edu/studentsuccess/news-events/know/become-career-peer

Applying for the SSN while Social Security Offices are Closed

While Social Security offices are closed due to COVID-19, it might be very challenging for students to apply for the SSN.  ISS is looking into this issue and exploring resources to provide to you.  As soon as we know more, we will provide an update.

In the meantime, ISS strongly discourages you from taking any steps that would involve applying for the SSN by mail and sending your original passport as part of the application.  Sending your passport through the mail is always risky- it could easily be lost and is not easily replaced. During this very uncertain time, you do not want to do anything that could result in your passport being lost or create more stress for you.

We know that these closings are inconvenient for you (and your employers); however, ISS strongly feels that it is in your best interest to wait for additional guidance at this time.

ssa logo
summer schedule text with bright yellow sun in background

ISSNews Summer Schedule

After Commencement, ISS will continue to publish and send ISSNews to all international students, but not every Wednesday since campus activities slow significantly during this time of year; however, please continue to check your CWRU email regularly and read through any ISSNews publications that we do send out. They will include information that is important to be aware of as student visa holders!

ISS will resume its weekly ISSNews publication in August as we all prepare for the new Fall semester!

OH BMV logo

Many OH BMV Services will be Unavailable While Stay-at-Home Order is in Effect.

Effective March 19, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) closed many locations and discontinued many services.  Please visit the OH BMV's website for more information.

census 2020 image

Cleveland Needs You! Fill Out the 2020 Census!

All students living off campus, please fill out the 2020 Census!  The Census is a count of all the people living in the USA, and it is carried out once every 10 years. The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.

When YOU fill out the census, you make sure Cleveland gets the resources we need to keep our city a great place to live for you and our CWRU family!

The census is EASY to fill out!  Visit my2020census.gov/ to answer a few simple questions – it typically takes 15 minutes or fewer.

Want more information?  Watch this informative video!

If you live on campus, you do not need to fill out the census.  The university will do it for you!

Featured Events

study abroad scholarship flyer

Scholarship Applications Due April 30

Students can apply here.

EVENT

International Student Study Break

Friday, May 1
10:00am - 11:00am
Private Location (rsvp to display)
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All CWRU international students are invited to join the Center for International Affairs and take a well-deserved break from studying to connect with others this Friday, May 1 from 10 am - 11 am via Zoom!

You can join by using this information:

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://cwru.zoom.us/j/91464542244?pwd=NC9rWDJOS09CRzd5d3NNSCs3ZjlZZz09
Password: 0uw5aT8V


Grab your favorite snack and log in to say hello!

We hope to see you there!
RSVP

EVENT

Study Abroad Photo Contest Winners Unveiling

Friday, May 1
2:00pm - 2:15pm
https://www.facebook.com/CWRUStudyAbroad/
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The Center for International Affairs will host a virtual unveiling event to announce the winners of the 2020 Study Abroad Photo Contest! Typically, the winners are unveiled at the International Achievement Luncheon, but as we are unable to host that event this year, we hope you'll join us online to celebrate the winners!

We'll share details on the CWRU Study Abroad Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CWRUStudyAbroad/

You can learn more about the contest and the categories here: https://case.edu/international/photocontest
RSVP
Study abroad forum flyer

Study Abroad Friday Forums

Students are invited to connect with the Office of Education Abroad every Friday for the new Study Abroad Friday Forums. The forums will answer various student study abroad questions and highlight specifics about study abroad experiences every Friday at 1 pm via Zoom.

The forums will feature a different topic each week!

All CWRU students are welcome to attend. The link to participate can be found on the Study Abroad CampusGroups page: http://cglink.me/r701894

Campus Events

EVENT

Coronavirus Anxiety Workshop (2 part series)

Wednesday, April 29
3:00pm - 3:45pm
Private Location (rsvp to display)
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This two part series will help you identify changes you can make in your response to stress, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and alter behaviors to aid in reducing anxiety, building resilience, and finding your motivation as we live through social distancing.

Part 1: Wednesday, April 29 Coping with COVID-19

Part 2: Wednesday, May 6 Action Creates Motivation

3:00- 3:45pm

Must register for event to receive Zoom information. Attendees will be automatically registered for both dates.

Open to all CWRU, CIA, CIM, and KSU Podiatry undergraduate, graduate and professional students.
RSVP

EVENT

Diversity 360 - Open Session

Wednesday, May 6
1:30pm - 4:30pm
Adelbert Hall, Toepfer Room, 2040 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
Link
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Note: RSVP numbers will be checked 60 hours before a session. If there are not at least 5 registrants at that point, the session will be cancelled.

Diversity 360 is a campus-wide diversity education program for students, faculty, and staff developed in collaboration with the Office for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity, the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Based on research from higher education and the corporate sector about cross-cultural competency and on results from university climate surveys, the modules will engage participants in learning to:

Increase capacity to recognize and engage in dialogue across the breadth of differences;

Deepen understanding of how affiliations in privileged and marginalized groups impact treatment on campus, campus climate and productivity.

Deepen awareness of types of micro-aggression and how they affect experiences on campus and in the local community.

Discover ways to become a change agent and diversity champion with new knowledge, ideas, and resources about university policies, programs, and best practices.

Diversity 360 includes pre and post-assessment of diversity-related knowledge, as well as, ongoing programming to assist members of the campus community with the goal of creating a welcoming campus climate at CWRU.
RSVP

EVENT

Interrupting Unconscious Bias in the Faculty Search Process (Refresher session)

Wednesday, May 6
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Private Location (rsvp to display)
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This session, required for all faculty and staff members participating on faculty search committees, explores barriers within the faculty search process that prevent the fair evaluation of underrepresented candidates. Former participants will be required to attend a brief 30-minute refresher session if they have not attended the full training within the last two calendar years.
RSVP

EVENT

Interrupting Unconscious Bias in the Faculty Search Process (Full Session)

Friday, May 8
9:00am - 10:30am
Private Location (rsvp to display)
Link
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This session, required for all faculty and staff members participating on faculty search committees, explores barriers within the faculty search process that prevent the fair evaluation of underrepresented candidates.
RSVP

EVENT

Diversity 360 - Open Session

Thursday, May 14
9:00am - 12:00pm
Senior Classroom, Tinkham Veale University Center. , 10900 Euclid Avenue Adelbert Hall, Room 109, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7048, United States
Link
Add to Google Cal,Outlook,Yahoo,iCal

Note: RSVP numbers will be checked 60 hours before a session. If there are not at least 5 registrants at that point, the session will be cancelled.

Diversity 360 is a campus-wide diversity education program for students, faculty, and staff developed in collaboration with the Office for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity, the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Based on research from higher education and the corporate sector about cross-cultural competency and on results from university climate surveys, the modules will engage participants in learning to:

Increase capacity to recognize and engage in dialogue across the breadth of differences;

Deepen understanding of how affiliations in privileged and marginalized groups impact treatment on campus, campus climate and productivity.

Deepen awareness of types of micro-aggression and how they affect experiences on campus and in the local community.

Discover ways to become a change agent and diversity champion with new knowledge, ideas, and resources about university policies, programs, and best practices.

Diversity 360 includes pre and post-assessment of diversity-related knowledge, as well as, ongoing programming to assist members of the campus community with the goal of creating a welcoming campus climate at CWRU.
RSVP

Good Vibes Only

During this very challenging time, ISS staff wants you to know that we are thinking about you- hoping you are safe, healthy, staying positive- and sending out good vibes!

In this section, we are including some things that we hope will make you laugh and smile, help you relax, be entertaining, give you something to do, etc.

This is a good vibes only section!

signs at Cleveland zoo

Who Knew the Zoo used to be in University Circle?

...Not me!
Read about the history of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo!

zookeeper at CLE metropark zoo

Baby Reindeer

Meet the newest addition to the zoo- a female reindeer calf, born on April 1!

zoo habitat under construction

Zoo Habitat Design

Learn about the planning that goes into designing zoo habitats.