Monday, October 26, 2009 | 2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Workshop: Foreign Credential Analysis

This twelve-hour Professional Practice workshop provides basic training to foreign credentials and placement for individuals from universities and colleges. Topics covered include: information needed to evaluate credentials, how to develop a resources library and support base, understanding the credit and grade conversion process. Note: Participants should bring a calculator.

Lead Trainer: Carmen Varejcka-McGee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | 8:00 am -5:00 pm

Workshop: Foreign Credential Analysis (continued from Monday, October 26)

Lead Trainer: Carmen Varejcka-McGee, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Workshop: F-1 Student Advising – Intermediate

Lead Trainer: Jill Krug, University of Colorado Denver; Co-trainers: Stacey Bailey, Kansas State University; Sara Thurston-Gonzalez, Kansas State University

Audience: Designated School Officials with at least 15 months experience, who have participated in the F-1 Regulations for Beginners workshop, or have received training equivalent to the F-1 Regulations for Beginners workshop.

This intermediate level workshop is designed for Designated School Officials who understand the processes of F-1 student advising and are ready to tackle some of the more complex, or "gray", situations. Participants will discuss a range of case studies on the topics of DSO Responsibilities, Maintenance of Status, Travel, Transfers, Employment, Change of Status, Reinstatement. By addressing these case studies, participants will learn how to advise students when regulations and guidance do not give a clear answer to their situation. Participants should have been in the field for at least 15 months, have participated in the F-1 Regulations for Beginners workshop, or have received training equivalent to the F-1 Regulations for Beginners. If you are new to the field, in order to receive the maximum benefit from this training, it is recommended that you allow for some time to apply the skills introduced in the F-1 Regulations for Beginners workshop before you attend the Intermediate level workshop.

Workshop Objectives

  • Be a self-sufficient adviser by knowing your resources
  • Develop interpretations of F-1 regulations and guidance
  • Interpret and develop institutional policy
  • Learn techniques to advise F-1 students on situations where clear guidance is not available

Workshop: Health and Safety in Education Abroad - Canceled (updated 10/08/2009)

Lead Trainer: Charlotte K. Blessing, Colorado College Co-Trainers: Cynthia Banks, Global Links Learning Abroad ; Landes Holbrook, Brigham Young University

The health, safety, and responsible personal behavior of education abroad participants have always been paramount to education abroad professionals. Using the document "Responsible Study Abroad: Good Practices for Health and Safety," participants will learn to apply recognized standards of good practice in health and safety to their institutions or organizations education abroad programs. Participants will gain competencies needed to identify, research, and assess health and safety risks, and communicate these to key constituents. Participants also will create a framework for emergency response, communication, and crisis management.

Workshop Objectives

  • Learn to apply recognized standards of good practices for health and safety for education abroad programs to their institutions or organizations.
  • Gain competencies needed to identify and communicate health and safety issues in education abroad programs to key constituents.
  • Learn to research and assess health and safety risks abroad.
  • Learn to create a framework for emergency response, communication, and crisis management.

Workshop: J Regulations for Beginners

Lead Trainer: Maria Zellar, University of Colorado, Boulder

This workshop is designed for beginners (up to 15 months). It provides basic information related to the administration of J-1 (exchange visitor) programs and advising J-1 students and scholars. It will provide an overview of U.S. Department of State regulations and cover J eligibility, maintenance of status, extension, transfer, reinstatement and employment. We will NOT provide advanced training or cover requirements specific to trainee, high school, or graduate medical study categories. We also will NOT cover the procedure of obtaining an exchange visitor program designation. Participants should be prepared to take active part in discussions.

Workshop Objectives

  • Understand different levels of authority and reliability to J visa regulations
  • Understand the difference between J visa type and other visa types
  • Understand the eligibility requirements for Exchange Visitor status and identify which category to use
  • Understand how to enter a new Exchange Visitor in SEVIS, issue the form DS-2019 and report the arrival of the Exchange Visitor
  • Understand key concepts of the immigration system, basic terms and visa application procedures
  • Understand the requirements to maintain J status and the responsibilities of the sponsor
  • Understand what types of employment are allowed for each category and how to make a preliminary determination
  • Understand the administrative requirements of an Exchange Visitor program

Workshop: F-1 Student Advising for Beginners | 8:00 am-6:00pm

Lead Trainer: Christina Hertel, University of Colorado Denver. Co-Trainers: Lisa Pappas, Colorado State University; Marlene Perrine, University of Denver

This introductory workshop offers participants the basic knowledge, skills and resources for advising F-1 students on common immigration issues. The workshop first lays out the environment in which the Designated School Official (DSO) works—the federal regulatory and SEVIS structure, the DSO’s own institutional culture, as well as DSO influences and constraints. Using a framework of three F-1 students journeying through their academic program, participants work with the most common student immigration advising and SEVIS scenarios, such as issuing I-20s, applying for a visa, entering the US, SEVIS registration and reporting, maintaining status, employment, travel and reentry, and program extensions. Please note that this workshop does not cover processing of reinstatement, change of status, transfer of SEVIS records, or SEVIS terminations.

Workshop Objectives

  • Provide participants with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed for basic F-1 immigration advising, as well as a framework for thinking through a variety of advising situations.
  • Offer international student advisers, new to the profession, basic regulatory training.
  • Prepare participants to accurately process the immigration forms that their students require to stay in good legal standing.