Aloha from Dominican University of CA!

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone!

Hi everyone, from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco!

Hello from DVC

Hello, this is Annie from Peralta Community Colleges

Hi from De Anza College!

Hello, Counselor at Cabrillo College.

Hello from Menlo College!

Hello from PCCD!

Hello from Golden Gate University!

Hello from San Francisco Bay University

We very slightly went up from last quarter

My school has a small F-1 population so I had a "mandatory check-in" so our F-1 students could meet in person and get to know each other. I offered boxed lunch.

Capacity is definitely at max :) But we’ve had great turnout/engagement at our Zoom orientations and have also developed a Canvas page (online resource hub) for students inside and outside the US.

Wooo, Renee, the canvas online resource hub sounds interesting to do. I might want to see it if you're able to share. We've been trying to think of ways to engage those abroad

Yes! Thanks @Remi :) @Sara Proctor was the champion of that effort! Happy to share with you.

Yay!! I'll email you so that I can plan a time to see it :)

Yes, you can! :)

Contra Costa Community College District is upholding an indoor mask mandate as well.

Saint Mary’s College of California is as well

How about annual membership fee by the school/district?

Becky - I would recommend reaching out to your business department faculty. I’m sure they could help guide on how to create a non-profit.

I did the same as Ashley and Julie (create a USCIS account and went through online I-765)

Help from NAFSA... OPT: Understanding the Application and Troubleshooting Process (Best Practices) from Joshua Davis, Michelle Massey, and Nusha Shishegar. https://www.nafsa.org/professional-resources/browse-by-interest/optional-practical-training-understanding-application-and-troubleshooting-processes?login=success(must be a NAFSA member to login)

Also this: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/outreach-engagements/USCIS_Online_Filing_Webinar_Form_I-765_Application_for_Employment_Authorization_for_F-1_Students_Seeking_OPT.pdf

Totally agree with you on the user friendliness of the online system @Ashley! I typically have students create their USCIS account and fill out as much as they can on their own, then we meet for advising and review before they submit. I wait to provide them with the I20 until I’ve reviewed their application and documents.

We currently have 7 OPT students, 1-2 pending so not many. My students are only doing online apps and no issues yet.I have them fill out the majority of the application on their own and then meet with me (virtually and share their screens) to review the app before creating the I-20 and submitting.

Same, haven’t had any biometrics

our student was approved in 10 days after filing online

Yeah, we've had students approved really fast too

Yes seems faster for sure!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html

Yes and yes. We offer Certificate degrees. As long as the student has been in F1 status for one academic year and earns the degree, we will support their OPT application when the graduate.

It seems to be taking our COS applicants 1-2 years. We have about 50…

We have a deferral request form that we require students fill out

@Becky... we just require a written statement saying "I wish to defer my admission to xx semester" and request an updated bank statement (if more than 6 months).

We created a process to manage the I20 deferral while COS case is pending. We don’t require a new app, but we have them submit an agreement form stating they understand it’s their responsibility to contact us each term to request deferral.

Let us know if you have any questions for Tiffany. You can send them directly to me, Remi or Julie.

I have the same thing, a student from 2007 too, Maybe it was the same adjudicator haha

I also have the same thing - from 2003! I often wonder how those students have been doing.

We have 5 going back years including 1999. We tried to remove one and the RFE was impossible. We just let them live in alerts.

@Stephanie have these students provided a U.S. address in their student portal or anything?

Account holds are often helpful

Thank you Tiffany! It is wonderful to see you!

We have the students log back into their applications and fill out a form to add their US addresses

Thank you!!

Thank you Tiffany and BA-PIER for organizing this! It's been very helpful!

Thank you!

Re-entry seems like a good option still, much faster. It was tough during the thick of the pandemic however. Students did not want to pursue that option.

Canada, Australia? LOL

I refer students to the Travel States site: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/visa-denials.html

That's great thanks Annie!

at EVC we are doing the same, trying to send useful YouTube videos (few really good ones)

Thank you!

I've also heard if students have travelled abroad and have received tourist visas also help in getting visa. Don't know if this is true but I remember hearing this to show that the student has the $ and plan to return home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YMANidBj6U

Thanks Alla!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7wbxo3N53g

That one is new,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekhzC4iYVdU

Thank you so much!

Thanks!

Is Tableau free?

That is wonderful tool!

nice

Thank you!

Thank you Becky

not work related... but if you hooked on playing Wordle like I am... try https://globle-game.com/ It's great for world geography!

hahah

Wordle was created by a U of Oregon graduate :) Go Ducks!!

Wordle https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html

Bye!

Thank you! Take care everyone! :)

Thanks for organizing!

Great seeing everyone! Bye!!

Thank you!

Bye!

Thank you!

Thank you Becky!

Thank you Becky

Thanks Becky

Thank you!!!

Thank you!

Thank you everybody