Building Bridges, Tearing Down Walls, Immigration under the Biden Administration

Expectations are high for what is to come over the next few years in immigration. To kick off SIW, we will hear from experts who will discuss what just happened, what the immigration landscape stands today, and what we might expect going forward. Please join us for a lively (and hopeful) discussion including nationally recognized leaders in the field.

• Stuart Anderson, Executive Director, National Foundation for American Policy
• Dan Berger, Partner, Curran, Berger & Kludt in Northampton MA
• Paul W. Hughes, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery LLP, Washington DC

Date & Time: Tuesday, February 9, 12:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 Minutes
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OPT Best Practices in a Changing Landscape: Updates & Roundtable Discussion

Come to this session to hear the latest updates and to share best practices regarding issues in OPT advising. The session will provide ample opportunities to engage colleagues in discussions around how different institutions are approaching advising challenges such as unemployment, receipt delays, and institutional compliance obligations.

• Hanna Bliss, Director of Immigration Services, Amherst College
• Amanda Connolly, Associate Director for Student Services, Boston University
• Andrew Shiotani, Director, Tufts University
• Caitlin Szymkowicz, Associate Dean, Smith College

Date & Time: Tuesday, February 16, 2:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Non-Resident Tax but Were Too Afraid to Ask!

This session will give an overview of state and federal tax reporting requirements for non-resident international students and scholars. Discussion items will include: Who must file a 2020 U.S. tax return, what income forms students/scholars may receive, which forms need to be completed and sent to the IRS, what happens if students do not file or misfile and IRS stimulus payments. Important terms such as FICA, ITIN and 1098-T will be covered as well as time for your questions!

• Neil Duffy, Associate Vice President, Sprintax
• Colleen Callahan-Pandey, Director of Office of International Student Life, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Date and Time: Wednesday February 17, 1:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 minutes
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Beating Back Atrophy: Things We Never Had to Do Before

We have all had to adjust to the Covidian times, but travel restrictions, border closures, lack of flights, suspension of visa services, and many other “unprecedented” disruptions have also created exceptional circumstances where we had to adjust our business practices and provide immigration advice to our students and scholars on processes we rarely (if ever) had to do before, such as change of status or change of J category, or even reinstatement, when we would have recommended travel in the past. In this session, we will discuss how different institutions are approaching advising challenges brought by an increasing need for processes that were rarely utilized in our previous advising toolkits.

• Jodi Hanelt, Director, Brandeis ISSO
• Ozan Say, Senior Adviser, Yale OISS
• Susan Shea, Associate Director, Boston College OISS
• Andrew Shiotani, Director, Tufts International Center

Date & Time: Monday, February 22, 4:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 Minutes
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H-1B Updates

In this session, we will discuss current issues and recent developments in the H-1B world. Expected topics include the status of recent DOL and USCIS regulations; travel/visa restrictions affecting H-1B scholars; and changes to our own H-1B procedures/advising over the past year.

• Amanda Doran, Advisor to International Scholars, MIT (chair)
• Amanda Quinn, Senior Associate Attorney, Goss Associates
• Sharon Ralston, Assistant Director for Scholar Services, Boston University

Date & Time: Thursday, February 25, 2:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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F-1 Basics 1 & 2

Due to the workshop limit of 50, we request participants to sign up after ensuring availability to attend both sessions.

This introductory two-part session is designed for participants that are new to the field of immigration advising. It offers participants an overview of the basic theoretical and practical knowledge needed to advise international students in F-1 status. Topics covered include: Issuance of Certificate of Eligibility (I-20); Obtaining an F-1 student visa at a US Consulate; maintenance of status, introduction to on- and off-campus employment, and other immigration issues and concerns that F-1 students may encounter during their academic program of study in the U.S. Special consideration will be given to immigration and advising issues during Covid-19.

• Elke Breker, Director, Brown University OISSS (Co-Chair)
• Caitlyn Szymkowicz, Associate Dean, Smith College ISSO (Co-Chair)
• Emma Swift, Associate Director, The University of Vermont Office of International Education

Date & Time: Thursday, February 25 & Friday, February 26, 2:00 p.m.

Immigration Compliance and Changes – Engaging Stakeholders

Although international offices have the responsibility of overseeing institutional immigration programs, that work is not done in isolation. Stakeholder buy-in is an important aspect of doing work effectively, and in managing immigration changes (proposed and actual) that emerge. Join this panel discussion to learn from fellow international educators about strategies, successes, and roadblocks in building partnerships with key stakeholders for immigration purposes.

• Jen Currie, Director for International Student Services, Bridgewater State University
• Susan Ellison, Director of the Office of Visa and Immigration Services, Dartmouth College
• Kim Howard, Director of the Office of International Education, University of Vermont

Date & Time: Tuesday, March 2, 1:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 Minutes
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F-1 Employment: Sticky Issues

Have you ever received a question from an F-1 student about employment and thought to yourself, “Ewww, that is a TOUGH one”? Are you confused by the vagaries of CPT regulations and what to do about situations that they do not address? What about people who are working remotely during the pandemic for on-campus work or OPT? And what if someone’s employment ends during the STEM OPT period – who must report what? It is a lot to think about and we’re here to direct you to reliable resources; review important advising considerations; and provide tips to improve communications to your students so you feel more confident advising in these sticky situations.

• Nia DeYounge, Director Center for International Students and Scholars, Bentley University
• Shannon Gerber, Associate Director - Comprehensive Advising OGS, Northeastern University
• Elizabeth Capuano, Advisor to International Students and Scholars, Harvard International Office

Date & Time: Thursday, March 4, 11:30 a.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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J-1 State of the Union

Join us for a session to go through one our most turbulent years and touch on some big ticket issues facing our Exchange Visitor Program today.

• Nichole Hunley, International Scholar and Student Advisor, UMass Amherst ISS (Chair)
• Briana Gerrish, Advisor to International Students & Scholars, Harvard International Office
• Colleen Griffin, Advisor to International Students & Scholars, Harvard International Office
• Vanessa Paulman, Director, UMass Medical School Immigration Services

Date & Time: Tuesday, March 9, 1:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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SEVP Review: The Year of the Clarifying Question

Join us to review the SEVP regulatory landscape of 2020, and its impacts on spring 2021. The first hour will include a presentation with panelists, and the final 30 minutes will offer an opportunity to connect with colleagues about campus policies and practices. No government officials from SEVP will be present.

• Hanna Bliss, Director of Immigration Services, Amherst College
• Nia DeYounge, Director, Center for International Students and Scholars, Bentley University
• Nichole Hunley, International Scholar and Student Advisor, UMass Amherst
• Steve Springer, Director of Regulatory Practice Liaison, NAFSA

Date & Time: Monday, March 15, 3:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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Status, Race, and Identity: Engaging International Students in Dialogue About Race and U.S. Culture

In this session, we will consider the racialization of ethnicity and how international students are perceived in the U.S. context, discuss how U.S. history and race legacy are presented to international students, and share best practices for engaging international students in dialogue about race, ethnicity, and identity.

• Andrea Popa, Director of International Student Affairs, Emerson College
• Dr. Chrystal George Mwangi, Associate Professor, University of Mass Amherst
• Nia DeYounge, Director of Center for International Students and Scholars, Bentley University

Date & Time: Thursday, March 18, 3:00 p.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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Does Anyone Work Here Anymore? What is Work?

In 2020, any sense of “traditional employment” disappeared. The purpose of this panel is to review how remote work has impacted a university’s visa population and explore the related compliance consequences. Panelists will discuss challenges facing the F-1, J-1, and H-1B visas with issues related to working abroad, a leave of absence, and working out of state. Other areas include I-9s, tax, employment law concerns, health insurance, data security, employer risk assessment, and payroll.

• Kenneth J. Reade (Moderator), Director of International Student & Scholar Services, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Jigisha Patel, Associate General Counsel and Chief Advisor for International and Immigration Services, Northeastern University
• Lesley N. Salafia, Senior Associate University Counsel, University of Connecticut
• Sandra Torres, Associate Counsel (Immigration), University of Massachusetts

Date & Time: Monday, March 22, 3:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 Minutes
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Lessons Learned from Adapting to COVID and Zoom: Using Technology Moving Forward

During the past year, all offices engaged in international education and exchange had to adapt to the various public health restrictions due to COVID-19 through the use of technology and a variety of communication tools. This session will evaluate how these solutions could be applied normally as best operational and advising practices going forward.

• Jose Guerrero, Data Analyst, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Maria Hernandez, International Student Advisor, Northern Essex Community College
• Patrick Himes, Assistant Director for Technology, Tufts University

Date & Time: Monday, March 29, 10:00 a.m.
Duration: 90 Minutes
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Travel Update with CPB and NAFSA Region XI Regbuds

Join us with a discussion from a Boston CBP officer with plenty of time for Q&A from our NAFSA Region XI Regbuds.

• Hanna Bliss, Director of Immigration Services, Amherst College
• Nichole Hunley, International Scholar and Student Advisor, UMass Amherst
• Officer Eric Geddry, Customs and Border Protection at Boston Logan

Date & Time: Monday, March 29, 1:00 p.m.
Duration: 60 minutes
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