mySimon student handbook

Location: 213 Morey Hall
Phone: (585) 275-2866
Fax: (585) 276-2943
Email: questions@iso.rochester.edu
Web: http://www.iso.rochester.edu
Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Walk-in Hours Mon. – Fri. 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Director/Senior University Counsel
Cary Jensen
Associate Director for Student Services Stephanie Krause
Associate Director for Scholar Services Kathy Strout
Assistant Director for Student Services Elisabeth Foster
Student Advisor
Lena Ovcharov
Student Advisor
Rani Bhagwat
Student Advisor
Kelly Ludovici
Senior Scholar Advisor
Janet Connor
Senior Scholar Advisor
Sumie Jacoby
Immigration Assistant/Admissions Coordinator Stephanie Johnson
Immigration Assistant/System Support Mary Mottler
Immigration Assistant/Office Manager Keri Tobin Immigration
Assistant/Scholar Services
Megan Kless
The International Services Office staff administers the F-1 Student Visa Program governed by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program governed by the U.S. Department of State. The ISO issues
all UR-sponsored international student and scholar visa forms through SEVIS, the Student Exchange Visitor Information
System. All questions concerning your immigration status must be directed to the ISO. The ISO staff interacts with U.S.
government agencies, foreign consular locations, international organizations and various community groups in their
efforts to advocate for and provide support services to prospective and ongoing students enrolled at the University.
International students are required to enroll full-time each quarter, excluding the summer or another eligible vacation
term. Any request for less than full-time enrollment must be approved by the ISO in advance and is only granted under
specific conditions. Immigration regulations may allow for a reduced course load for certain academic reasons (only
once), during the last quarter if full-time study is not necessary to complete requirements, or as needed for medical
reasons documented by the University Health Service.
To maintain legal status in the U.S., students must also adhere to strict work permission eligibility and authorization
procedures. F-1 and J-1 students are able work at the University while they are enrolled. However, international
students must NOT work off-campus without specific written authorization in advance! Unauthorized employment is
viewed as a serious violation of immigration status and can be very difficult to overcome.
The ISO provides various programs and services to assist students in understanding SEVIS reporting requirements and
the U.S. immigration laws that govern their stay in this country. These services and programs include:
ISO Student News – an electronic newsletter for all international students and interested staff. ISO-sponsored
students are enrolled automatically and will receive new issues to their UR email every two weeks during the
academic year;
ISO Website – www.iso.rochester.edu: extensive information for current and prospective students, including ISO
Forms, immigration details related to SEVIS reporting and employment options, support for U.S. tax
requirements, travel information and links to
U.S. and foreign Consulates, cultural adjustment techniques, and more;
Individual appointments with ISO Student Advisors for immigration advising and cross- cultural counseling to
assist students in effectively coping with personal adjustment;
Work authorizations for all types of F-1 and J-1 employment, including off-campus summer internships and
practical training opportunities;
International Student Orientation Programs to help orient new students to the University and life in the U.S.;