NAFSA Presentation 101 Webinar
Get inspiration on how to pick a session topic - and overcome public speaking nerves! Watch the recording here.
NAFSA Region I Update Meeting
NAFSA Region I RISE Lunch and Learn
NAFSA Region I Advocacy Review 2021
Watch the Recording
Region I Government Agency Sessions
This year, the International Student and Scholar Regulatory Practice committee (ISS RP) coordinated pre-recorded sessions with numerous government agencies so that Regions would be able to ensure that these important sessions were still available to our community. While we weren't able to include them in the Regional conference, we hosted a series of three of the webinars during the week of November 30. Region I members were cordially invited to join the Region I Regulatory Ombuds, Josh Davis and Maria Cardieri, as well as our KC ISSS Regional Liaison, Brian Ridge, to watch and discuss these webinars. Each webinar was followed by a period to discuss the contents, as well as to discuss other issues that have arisen during the fall term or that may not have been addressed in the webinar. In addition to the three webinars presented below, ISS RP recorded several additional webinars with other agencies, including the Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification and the CIS Ombudsman's Office. You can find those recordings on the 2020 NAFSA Virtual Regional Agency-Focused Sessions.
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP): Current Issues
Monday, November 30, 12:00-1:00 pm PST
Join ISS RP Student Subcommittee Chair Corey Owen and member Archana Sheth as they speak with Mrs. Daniella Skirsky and Mr. Donald Delgado from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program's Field Representative Unit. This Q&A-style presentation will cover a variety of topics related to COVID-19, as well as touching briefly on the OPT employment actions taken by SEVP earlier this year. Please note that SEVP followed the usual federal agency protocols concerning rules that have been published in the Federal Register for comment and declined to discuss the proposed rule to eliminate duration of status, so the topic is not addressed in the session.
Watch the Presentation Read the Chat
U.S. Department of State Exchange Visitor Program (EVP): Current Issues
Wednesday, December 2, 12:00-1:00 pm PST
Join ISS RP EVP Subcommittee Brian Groves along with his subcommittee members Ximena Corley, Anastasia Fynn, Jennifer Glass, Mike Hollabaugh, and Lindsay Pepper as they speak with Tammie Stewart and Jennifer Donnely from the Department of State's Office of Designation within the Private Sector Exchange division of Educational and Cultural Affairs. This Q&A-style presentation will cover a variety of topics related to COVID-19, as well as touching on issues related to communications from the EVP and regulatory issues on the horizon. Please note that the Department of State presenters followed the usual federal agency protocols concerning rules that have been published in the Federal Register for comment and declined to discuss the proposed rule to eliminate duration of status, so the topic is not addressed in the session. Also, this presentation includes a pre-recorded video provided by the U.S. Department of State. The video portion will play more smoothly if users allow this portion a few seconds to buffer while viewing the recording.
Watch the Presentation
U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs: Current Visa Issues
Friday, December 4, 12:00-1:30 pm PST
Join ISS RP Travel Subcommittee Members Preble Girard, Edyta Mika-Klimczak, and Nicole Schwab as they speak with Mike Dolce and Katie Strong from the Department of State's Visa Office. This session will cover a variety of topics related to visa acquisition generally, as well as many specific topics to visa acquisition during COVID times. Please note that there was feedback/echo from a presenter’s microphone a couple of times during the presentation. The only time it obscured any of the conversation was when Katie Strong was discussing the duration of national interest exceptions. She said that she has recently been in touch with consulates about this issue and, while an exception cannot be extended, consulates can and do grant new national interest exceptions when necessary. Also, the presenters addressed a recent court decision enjoining the June 22, 2020 Proclamation 10052 suspending entry of certain H, J, and L nonimmigrants. Find more information about that decision.
Watch the Presentation
Please contact the Region I team for any questions on these events. Thank you!