From: VISA Office
Date: March 30, 2022
Subject: ISS News, March 30, 2022: Holi & More Center for International Affairs 10-Year Anniversary Events, End of Semester Reminders, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, Submit Nominations for ISAC, Vigil for Peace, Tax Information, Good Vibes, and More



IS

March 30, 2022

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in this issue:

  1. End of Semester Reminders
  2. OPT & CPT Workshops
  3. Tax Information for 2021 Filing Year
  4. Features
  5. The Center for International Affairs' 10-Year Celebration
  6. Campus Happenings
  7. Good Vibes Only

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ISS Staff is available to students, without an appointment, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday during advising hours:

11am to 1pm- through virtual advising available online

1pm to 3pm- through in-person advising in the office

There are no advising hours on Wednesday.

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If you need to speak with an advisor outside of our advising hours, please send an email to international@case.edu to schedule an appointment. Please provide your full, legal name and a brief description of the nature of your appointment when you contact us.

keep calm the semester is about to end meme

End of Semester Reminders

If you have thoughts about traveling abroad during the break, be sure to ask yourself these questions:

Do I need to extend my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, read more under the Frequently Asked Questions Section. Undergraduates, be sure to list your Dean in Undergraduate Studies on your request and graduate students, you should list your academic advisor.

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

Do I need to get a new travel signature on my I-20 or DS-2019? If you do, you can read about that process and other factors related to travel and reentry for F-1 and J-1 students.

Also,

  • be aware of all travel-related policies. Travel requirements are changing as the situation with COVID-19 evolves, including a Presidential Proclamation requiring travelers to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the US.  Be sure that you are monitoring all requirements for entry to the United States and complying with university policies related to vaccination and travel to minimize the risk of disrupting your education at CWRU. **If you have any doubts or concerns about your ability to return to the United States by the start of the next semester, ISS recommends that you consider remaining in the United States and not traveling abroad.**
  • check the validity of the visa in your passport. US Embassies and Consulates have limited services available and there could be significant delays in visa issuances. This delay could significantly affect your ability to return to the United States.
  • make sure your passport is valid 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.  There are certain benefits for which F-1 students apply when they are in the United States and the agencies that oversee those benefits often require applicants to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future.

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.

OPT and CPT workshop branding telling students that workshops are available online

OPT & CPT Workshops

ISS is offering Optional Practical Training (OPT) and CPT Workshops to go over in detail the application process, student responsibilities, and other important considerations.

Being well informed before applying for either authorization is extremely important and applying early is critical!

USCIS is publishing that it takes 3-5 months to process submitted OPT applications. Plan to complete a required OPT workshop as early as possible to be best prepared. Remember, you do not need to have a job offer to apply for OPT!

You do need to have a job offer before applying for CPT authorization and you are not eligible to begin your experience until you have proper authorization in place. It can take several days to become authorized.

Virtual workshops led by an advisor have been scheduled and information about required registration, attendance, and the application process can be found on our website under the OPT and CPT sections.

CPT flyer

Tax Information for 2021 Filing Year

Tax Deadline in April: Forms & Sprintax Availablity

Sprintax is a tax-return-preparation software program designed primarily for international students and other educational visa holders. It can help you prepare your U.S. federal income tax return, which you are legally required to file to the Internal Revenue Service.  ISS has arranged free access to Sprintax for your federal tax filing needs.

You may access Sprintax and begin preparing your tax return by following these steps:

  1. Register and follow the simple instructions
  2. Complete the online questionnaire
  3. Enter Case Western Reserve University’s unique code. This code was sent to you via email on February 1.
  4. Sprintax will prepare your tax return

If Sprintax determines that you are required to file state taxes, you will have the opportunity to prepare those state taxes. You are not required to use Sprintax to file state taxes but, remember, it is your responsibility to comply with the law and properly file all taxes.

If by now, you haven't received your W-2 from CWRU, contact Payroll at payroll@case.edu. If you were authorized to work for another employer, you should contact their payroll department.

For more information regarding the 1098-T, please visit Financial Services website to download the Nonresident Alien 1098-T Request Form.

1042-S forms will be prepared by mid-March and sent to students by Payroll. Please contact Payroll if you have questions about the issuance of your 1042-S.

For more information, visit our Information on Filing Taxes page and if you have any questions, the Sprintax team will be happy to help via their 24/7 live chat function or email hello@sprintax.com. ISS staff members cannot advise you on your questions, which is why we partner with the experts at Sprintax.

Sprintax logo

Sprintax Offers Tax Webinars to Prepare for Tax Filing Season 2021

ISS partners with the tax experts at Sprintax who offer tax filing services to international students that are considered non-resident aliens for tax purposes. The Sprintax team will be hosting a series of free open tax webinars to provide helpful information around non-resident tax filing obligations.

You can find the details and registration links below for each:  The informational webinars will cover the same topics on each occasion:
  • An overview of tax for nonresident students and scholars
  • Who must file a 2021 US tax return
  • What income forms students may receive
  • Forms that need to be completed and sent to the IRS
  • Terms like FICA, ITIN, and Form 1098-T
  • What happens if students don’t file or misfile
  • State tax returns
  • Sprintax overview
Sprintax also released a new blog, How to Prepare for the 2021 US Tax season, which you are welcome to view.

Features

10 year celebration emblem

The Center for International Affairs' 10-Year Celebration

Join us as we celebration the 10-Year milestone of the Center for International Affairs at Case Western University.

See our full list of 10-year celebration events.

EVENT

CWRU Holi Celebration 2022

Friday, April 1
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Freiberger Field Behind Tink, Tomlinson Hall, Room 143 , United States
Link
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Jion our our annual event on Freiberger Field that features lots of colored powder, Indian street food, water games, badminton, cricket, music, and traditions associated with Holi! *subject to Covid protocols

More info: https://case.edu/international/events/holi

Holi is known as the “festival of colors” and celebrates the arrival of spring after a long winter. It is also a time for building relationships through play and laughter. Although primarily celebrated in India and Nepal, Holi is observed in many other countries throughout Southeast Asia and around the world.

The festival is celebrated by throwing colored powders and water at others. The colors used are culturally symbolic:

Red - union & purity
Pink - friendliness & happiness
Purple - devotion to self & spirit
Blue - power & passion
Green - vitality & rebirth
Yellow - sincerity & piety
Orange - strength & courage
Originally, the colors were made from Neem, Kumkum, Haldi and Bilva—medicinal herbs which were simultaneously used in the playful festival as a means of preventing springtime ailments.

Today, many popular US events have been inspired by Holi's colorful festivities including the Color Run 5K and the Festival of Colors Music Tour.

RSVP
isac flyer
grad cap decorating flyer

Campus Happenings

Peace for Ukraine flyer

EVENT

Disasters: Financial Education Recovery Seminar

Friday, April 1
12:45pm - 1:45pm
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TBD

RSVP

Celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week

GSAW flyer
GSAW flyer for CIA

EVENT

GSAW Ball

Saturday, April 9
7:00pm - 11:00pm
Great Lakes Science Center , 601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland, OH 44114, United States
Link
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The annual GSAW ball is back this year with the theme 'The Big Bang'!

It is being organized at the Great Lakes Science Center on the 9th of April, 2022.

Come, enjoy the evening with Graduate students from different schools along with drinks, food and entertainment.

You are welcome to get one other person's tickets along with yours.

We can't wait to see you there!

General admission: $25/person.

Be sure to RSVP for the event of the year!

Important: For drink tickets, please make sure to carry any form of ID to help us verify your age. Thank you!

**Free parking**

RSVP
trophy with gold star confetti

GSC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence Research Award

In partnership with the Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Case Western Reserve University's Graduate Student Council presents the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence (DEIE) Research Award.

This award provides funding to CWRU masters and doctoral students who are conducting research with historically underrepresented or marginalized populations in the United States. The grant addresses critical gaps across disciplines in the research and application of diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence. Six research awards of $4,000 will be awarded. Awards are nonrenewable. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM EST, Friday, April 8, 2022.

imagatorium flyer

The Department of Dance Presents Imagatorium

Case Western Reserve University's Department of Dance is pleased to announce Imagatorium, the final production of the 2021-22 season, on April 7-9 at 8pm and April 10 at 2:30pm.

The production will feature original works by Master of Arts candidate Haiyan Chen, second-year graduate students El-drick Aboagye and Shadrach Arthur, along with senior capstone choreography by Jamie Muth. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter choreographed by Haiyan Chen and set to music by Elena Kats-Chernin loosely represents the four seasons of the year while drawing upon the distinct artistic personalities of each of the four dancers. B’roq’n Spring, choreographed by El-drick Aboagye, animates and portrays an artist’s endeavors during the creative process. Pure admiration for the baroque era coupled with Aboagye’s appreciation of various genres of art and artists inspired and motivated the creation of this group work. Shadrach Arthur’s Einheit is an abstract choreographic work set on four dancers to a rendition of Philip Glass's Purus River by the Brazilian ensemble Uakti. The consonant harmony, repetitive pulses, and reiteration of phrases create an intoxicating environment that is used to help highlight the sense of togetherness seen in our everyday lives. Silver Soul is a choreographic work by Jamie Muth set on five dancers to a rendition of two musical pieces in Kenji Bunch's Piano Trio series entitled Swing Shift. The work is centered around the theme of how relational connections can inspire a journey of authentic self growth. The use of repetition and spoken word coupled with the performers moving in juxtaposition and in sync creates a space in which the theme of connections can be illustrated and creatively interpreted.

Tickets are $10 for general admission. No reservations are accepted. Visit case.edu/artsci/dance for more information.

**Only those who are fully vaccinated (two weeks past their final dose plus a booster) should attend any Case Western Reserve University campus event. Leaders continue to monitor pandemic developments and may need to adjust health protocols further as circumstances warrant. In-person is subject to change based on COVID-19 guidelines.**

health minds network logo

Participate in the Healthy Minds Study

University Health and Counseling Services is excited to partner with Healthy Minds to send out a mental health and well-being survey to all graduate and undergraduate students.

The Healthy Minds Study (HMS) is a national online survey assessing students mental health and service utilization on college campuses. The anonymous and confidential information from this survey will be used to help us learn more about what services are currently used, needed or could help improve "supports" for CWRU students.

The survey is open through April 18. All Case Western Reserve University undergraduate, graduate and professional students are encouraged to participate. All students received an email from healthyminds-CWRU@umich.edu to their case.edu email account with a unique link to participate on March 21.

Students who participate in the study will be entered into a raffle for weighted blankets. In addition, all students who participate in the study will be automatically entered into a sweepstakes for 1 of 2 $500 prizes or 1 of 10 $100 prizes. The drawing will be conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the summer of 2022.

EVENT

Spartans Stronger Together 5K Event April 10, 2022

Sunday, April 10
11:00am - 1:00pm
DiSanto Field, 1747 East 118th Street, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
Link
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Spartans Stronger Together 5K event on Sunday, April 10th at 11am route on the north side of campus, beginning and ending at Disanto Field. Proceeds to benefit the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition. Tshirt included with registration cost. Pickup the week prior.

Last year's Stronger Together 5k tshirt is available for $5, benefiting Urban League: https://cglink.me/2cS/r1538414

RSVP
legacy week logo

Celebrate Legacy Week, April 18 - 23


Legacy Week was established in 2017, to observe and showcase the history of Case Western Reserve University's momentous history. During this week various departments, offices, student organizations, staff and faculty members, and individual students will host various programs and events to bring to light the unique history of CWRU.

To learn more about Legacy Week 2022 and planned events, visit Student Activities and Leadership's Campus Traditions website.

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!

robot doing parkour

Check it out- Robot Parkour