Communique – Volume 18, Number 2

March 2022

Greetings from the ISSO!

In this issue:

New Online Resources for Administrators

We are pleased to announce a new video series specifically designed for BU administrators hosting international researchers, faculty and employees! We have created seven short videos, each highlighting a distinct topic related to ISSO processes. These videos are a great training tool for administrators who are just starting to get familiar with ISSO processing. In addition, they are a great refresher for more seasoned administrative contacts who are looking for specific details about a particular issue.

The available videos include:

  1. Getting Started – Outlines the overall role of the ISSO and the key services we provide. In addition, it explains how hosting departments can determine whether immigration processing will be necessary to facilitate the employment/appointment in the department.
  2. Immigration Processing – Outlines the paperwork and timeline for submitting immigration processing requests to the ISSO if necessary in order to facilitate the desired appointment or employment.
  3. ISSO Check-in & Clearance – Emphasizes the importance of the ISSO check-in and clearance for all foreign nationals and how host departments can help to initiate this process.
  4. Considerations for Continuing Scholars & Employees – Emphasizes the importance of continued communication between the ISSO, host department, scholar/employee and any other relevant University stakeholders for the duration of the BU appointment/employment.
  5. J-1 Classification Overview – Focuses specifically on the J-1 classification in terms of the process, timing and continued compliance and communication.
  6. H-1B Classification Overview – Focuses specifically on the H-1B classification in terms of the process, timing and continued compliance and communication.
  7. OPT & STEM OPT Overview – Focuses specifically on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM OPT extension in terms of process, timing and continued compliance and communication.

We are excited to announce this new resource to the community and are confident that our new video series for BU administrators will provide additional context and training related to hosting foreign nationals from start to finish.

Schedule an ISSO Administrator Training

To supplement our new training videos, we would be happy to follow-up with in-person and/or virtual training sessions that are customized to the specific needs of your school. Please consider the following and then contact your Scholar Advisor to discuss your training needs in more detail:

  • Do you want to schedule us during one of your departments regularly scheduled administrator meetings or at another time?
  • Do you want the training to be virtual or in-person?
  • Do you want all administrators to attend or only the designated departmental contacts for the ISSO?
  • Do you need a high-level view of the ISSO, a more in-dept view of our processing and forms, information that is specific to a particular immigration classification or a little bit of everything?
  • How much time is available for the presentation?

We expect that our schedule will fill up fast so if you are interested in scheduling a specific training for your school, a joint training with other schools or colleges or a session specifically for new ISSO administrative contacts, we are happy to accommodate your needs.

The Scholar Services Team remains committed to advising and assisting our international scholar community and appreciates your continued support!