Updated February 28, 2012

NAFSA's Knowledge Community for International Student and Scholar Services (KCISSS) is charged with disseminating knowledge and developing resources and training programs for professionals in the ISSS field. The NAFSA website holds a wealth of helpful and, in some cases critical, information for the international student/scholar adviser. However, for someone new to the field or new to NAFSA, navigating the website for the right kind of information can take time. To make finding what you need easier, the KC ISSS team has created this one stop shop web page with the most helpful links for ISSS newcomers.

Professional Networking

The professional networks contain key resources to help you do your job better. The KC ISSS team strongly encourages you to subscribe to one or more of the KC ISSS professional network of your choice:

Examples of resources:

  • Collegial Conversations- Interviews with seasoned NAFSAns on ISSS challenges
  • Practice resources on regulatory change and issues
  • Professional development tools
  • Programming ideas

The networks also provide a discussion forum to help you connect to thousands of ISSS folks within the NAFSA community. Even if you just read the postings to the discussion forum without posting questions yourself, the discussion forum is a tremendous resource. (Please remember that information posted here may be opinion only and should not be viewed as authoritative unless regulatory citations are provided). Sign up today, if you haven't already.

Regulatory Concerns and Issues

Visit NAFSA's "Regulatory Information" page frequently to stay up to date on the latest news and topics!

What should you do when something goes wrong? The Immigration Resources for International Student and Scholar Advisers page includes information about assistance available from NAFSA leaders including KC ISSS Regional Liaisons and NAFSA Regulatory Ombudspersons, as well as protocols for inquiries with USCIS, Customs and Border Protection, SAVE/E-Verify/DMVs, SEVP, Department of Labor, and Department of State.

To submit information about trends and issues that affect International Student and Scholar professionals or to get assistance with specific cases from the Regulatory Ombud Subcommittee, go to IssueNet. You must be a NAFSA member and be logged in to your account to access these resources.

What is the difference between an Act of Congress, a CFR, a government issued memo, and a government official's comment at a conference? Visit NAFSA's helpful hierarchy of authority.

SEVIS

Intercultural Activities

Looking for some new ideas for your orientation or community outreach program? Check out this intercultural activity toolkit for samples of intercultural activities.

Collegial Conversations in the Professional Networks

Collegial Conversations are personal interviews with seasoned NAFSAns on topics of concern to international student and scholar advisers. The interviewees provide knowledge and insight on the challenges advisers face with respect to the topic under discussion and helpful tips on overcoming those challenges. These conversations are kept as practice resources for as long as they remain valid. Some examples are:

Other Resources in the Professional Networks

Comprehensive Resource on Crisis Management for the International Student and Scholar Services Office
This resource consists of recommended checklists of action items to consider when dealing with crises involving international students and scholars. The resource includes general guidelines for preparation before, during, and after crises.