......................................................................... Connecting Cultures Unlimited possibilities
International student handbook
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International
students
....................... Contents ....................... Welcome ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Welcome to Utah State University .................................................................................... 4 Check list: Things to be done when you arrive ......................................................... 5 Immigration Rules and Regulations ................................................................................. 6 Housing ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Early History of Cache Valley ............................................................................................ 13 Clubs .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Campus Life ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Off Campus Activities ............................................................................................................... 18 Directory ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Student Services Directory ................................................................................................ 20
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............................................................................ welcome to utah state university Welcome to Utah State University. I hope that in the next few months you will meet some exceptional faculty members, attend some inspirational classes, and make many new friends from all across Utah, the United States, and the World. Our campus community values what you bring to our campus and we invite you to engage in classroom discussions, extracurricular activities, and the events in Cache Valley. The Logan campus has over 16,000 students with more than 1,000 of those from 80-85 countries around the world. We encourage all of our students to broaden their global perspective during their university career. So share your culture and learn about the cultures of those around you. The USU campus offers many support services to help make your university experience successful. Our world depends on an educated and tolerant population to address the global challenges that are so interconnected today. We recognize the personal sacrifices you have made to come to Utah and we congratulate you on your past academic success. Best of luck to you in your USU studies & enjoy your experience! Mary Hubbard, PhD Vice Provost for Global Engagement
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........................................................................... welcome to utah state university It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Logan, Utah. On campus we have a wonderful international student body and you are now part of a rich diverse community. With over 1,000 international students on campus, you will have the opportunity to meet new people, learn of new cultures and share your own culture. International students play an integral part of cultural life on campus. We hope that you will make the best of every opportunity that comes your way. The Office of Global Engagement is here to help you make the most of your time at USU. The office provides students with admissions help, immigration advising, cultural exchange programs and an opportunity to meet new friends. The information contained in the packet will help you adjust and give you information that will make your efforts in Logan a little easier. Please take the time to read through the packet carefully. If you have any questions feel free to contact our office.
Utah state, hey!
aggies all the way! go aggies! go aggies!
Hey, Hey, Hey!
We wish you luck in your studies an we look forward to getting to know you!
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............................................................................ check list: things to be done when you arrive Check In
classes
usu id card
You must go report to the Office of Global Engagement after you enter the US, so your records can be activated in SEVIS. During the orientation we will help you check in with us. We need copies of your: - I-20 - Passport - Visa - I-94 - Check in form - Signed responsibilities of F-1/J-1
Register for your classes (12 credits for undergraduate; 9 for graduate). Talk with academic advisors ahead of time.
Get your USU ID card from the Card Office (TSC 212). It is your access/key to campus (computer labs, library, etc.)
tuition & fees
Aggiemail
Pay your tuition & fees at the Registrar’s Office (TSC 246).
Create your aggiemail.usu.edu email account at: http://aggiemail.usu.edu
If you miss the orientation, or do not have the original documents above at the orientation bring them to MS 115, ASAP!
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immmigration rules & regulations
............................................................................. Passport: - DO NOT allow your passport to expire while here in the United States - U.S. government requires passports to be valid for at least six months before entering the U.S. - The following link provides info on the embassies and consulates around the world http://www.embassyworld.com - Contact your home country embassy Visa: - If your visa expires while you are in the U.S. that is not a problem. You will only renew it when you return to your home country. - Your visa is an entry into the country, it is not your legal status here in the U.S. - If you need to renew your visa because you will be traveling home please contact the OISS Visa vs. Status - Visa: a stamp in your passport from your U.S. consulate or embassy - Only valid for entry in the United States. - Visa can expire while studying in the U.S. - Can only renew visa outside the U.S., if necessary - Status: (F-1, F-2, J-1, J-2) is your legal status in the U.S. determined by the DHS and can be found on your I-94 card. - Never put your status in danger. Always protect and maintain your status SEVIS: - The Student Exchange isitor Information Systems - SEVIS shares information that DHS has put in place for F and J students/scholars. - Each I-20 and DS-2019 are issued through SEVIS - USU must report the following on each student to SEVIS: - Change of address, enrollment each semester, and any changes with students or dependents of students status
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MAINTAINING YOUR STATUS
......................................................................... - YOU MUST REGISTER FULL-TIME during the fall and spring semesters. 12 credits per semester for undergraduate students. 9 credits per semester for graduate students 18 credits for IELI students. - Students must be enrolled full-time by the end of the last add/drop date of each semester - The last day to add/drop a class for each semester can be found at http://usu.edu/calendar/academic.cfm - Students are ONLY allowed to take 3 credits of distance education, independent study, or online courses per semester. - If you sign up for an independent study course then you must finish the course with-in the semester you signed up for the course. - If you are planning to enroll below full course load, YOU MUST GET APPROVAL FROM AN OISS ADVISOR before you can drop below a full course load. - You will be required to fill out a Reduced Course Load form (RCL) with your academic advisors signature. - The RCL must be filled out each semester that you intend to drop below full-time status. - You must give the RCL to the OISS before the semester begins or before you decide to drop a class. - Failure to get approval to drop below full-time will result in violation of your status. Acceptable reasons for enrolling less than full-time: - Graduate students: Graduate assistantship, completed coursework of study, final semester of study. - Undergraduate students: Difficulty with English language, medical reason, final semester, Program Extension - DO NOT LET YOUR 1-20 OR DS-2019 EXPIRE! - Request a program extension BEFORE your document expires. - Come to the OISS for a new I-20 or DS-2019 one month before it expires. - If your document expires and you did no renew it then you will be out of status and need to exit the US immediately
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MAINTAINING YOUR STATUS (Cont.)
........................................................................... Report Change of Address - YOU MUST report to our office any time you move dorms or apartment within 10 days of relocation. - Post Office Box Addresses CANNOT be used. - It is part of DHS regulations to keep updated personal contact information in SEVIS. You must update your address both in Banner and in the OISS. Transferring to another university - Contact the university that you intend to transfer to and receive acceptance - Meet with an OISS advisor regarding the transfer procedures well before your transfer-out date. - Decide with an advisor what your transfer out date will be.
employment
............................................................................ Students are only allowed to work on campus for 20 hours per week during fall and spring semesters. - During your summer annual vacation semester you may work full-time. - Part-time employment: 20 hours or less per week - Full-time employment: 21 hours or more per week - You MUST receive permission in advance for any off-campus work. - Meet with an OISS advisor if you need to work off-campus. If you fail to meet with an advisor and work off-campus, you will be out of status. - There are very few situations which you will be able to work off-campus and you must obtain authorization before.
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Off-Campus employment
.......................................................................... Curricular Practical Training (CPT) - Curricular Practical Training is an integral part of an established curriculum. - CPT is used when an internship is required for your program of study. - It must be related to your program of study. - You must receive authorization from an OISS advisor before beginning the CPT employment. - You must be in status for 9 months before beginning a CPT. - CPT is only granted on a semester basis. Requirements of CPT: - Offer letter from employer - Must register for CPT credits and for them. - Obtain authorization from an OISS advisor - Limited to only 11.5 months of full-time CPT to be eligible for OPT. Optional Practical Training (OPT) - OPT is temporary employment for practical training directly related to the student’s major area of study. - Students are granted 1 year of full-time work off-campus. - In the semester of your graduation, meet with an advisor to determine the best time to apply for OPT. Economic Hardship - Economic Hardship is intended to address situations where a financial need beyond the students control arises. - Only available for situations such as loss of sponsorship, economic crisis in home country, excessive medical bills, loss of support from home, etc. - Must show proof of hardship. - Must see an OISS advisor to apply.
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your status
. ............................................................................ If you ever have any questions concerning your status here at USU, PLEASE be sure to come see an advisor. - To maintain your legal status and do not experience immigration problems, be sure to: - Stay informed and understand that YOU are responsible for maintaining your status. - Please do not rely on your friends or faculty for immigration information. Ask your advisor.
traveling outside the U.S.
............................................................................ When traveling outside of the U.S. you will need to carry the following: - Valid passport, Valid U.S. visa, Current I-20 or DS-2019 with travel signature - If you will be visiting another country other than your own, then you will need to contact that country’s embassy to see if you need a visa.
travel signature
............................................................................ - Before traveling outside the U.S. you must have a travel signature from an OISS advisor. - This signature validates that you are in status and eligible to return back to the U.S. after traveling. - Travel signatures are valid for 1 year.
Leaving the U.S.
............................................................................ Upon completing your program of study, F-1 students have a 60 day grace period to exit the U.S. J-1 students have a 30 day grace period. - If a student is doing an authorized withdrawal, they have a 15 day grace period - If a student fails to maintain status at any point, the student DOES NOT have any grace period and must exit IMMEDIATELY.
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must notify our office if:
......................................................................... - You want to take a LOA (leave of absence). - Register for less than 9 credits (for graduate) or 12 credits (for undergraduate). - Will need a program extension. - May be on academic suspension or academic dismissal. - Plan to transfer to another university. - Change your address - Plan on traveling - Have any questions or concerns.
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............................................................................ . housing Temporary Housing If you have signed a contract to live in Utah State University on-campus housing, arrangements will be made for you to either check into your assigned space or stay in a temporary space upon your arrival (extra fees and restrictions may apply). Please contact the Hous-ing Office in advance to let them know your arrival date and time. You can email this information to info@housing.usu.edu or call (800) 863-1085 or (435) 797-3113. If you have not made housing reservations in advance, you need to plan on staying in a local hotel. Reservations can be made at the campus hotel, the University Inn, by calling (800) 231-5634 or (435) 797-0017 or visiting their website at www.usu.edu/univinn/. Additional hotel information can be found at http://www.tourchachevalley.com/lodging/lodging_hotels.php
permanent Housing On-Campus: Available for both single and married students. USU Housing Services information can be found at http://www.sedulous or via email at info@housebuilding. Questions can also be faxed to (435) 797-4035 or by calling (435)7973113 for more information. Written requests for housing information can Be sent to: Housing and Dining Services Administrative Office, 1295 East 1000 North, Logan, UT 84322. An application, deposit, and signed contract are required to make advanced reservations. Please be aware that in the family student housing apartments, furniture and household furnishings are not provided. A stove and a refrigerator are provided. Off-Campus: Available for married and single students. If you plan to live off-campus, you should bring with you enough (approximately $400.00) plus the first Month's rent, and utilities (gas, electric, and telephone) which will cost an estimated $500.00. Also, there may be additional expenses for household items (furniture, kitchen equipment, etc.) There are many apartments close to the cam-pus. We suggest you arrive in time to locate suitable housing if you do plan to live off campus.
Culture Utah State University has an active International Student Council (ISC). Contact the ISC via email at usu-intl@usu.edu. If you would like to correspond with a student from your country, the ISC can assist you.
The ISC sponsors activities each year, including country displays, Mr. and Ms. International Night, the International Children’s Party, and an International Banquet & Cultural Show. The events build bridges with cultures through food, fun, and entertainment.
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......The early history of cache valley.................... Cache Valley has always been a popular gathering place. The Shoshone Indians were the first people to settle in the area. They called it “the house of the great spirit.” The Shoshone were followed by fur trappers who head their largest trading meeting s in Cache Valley and along the shores of Bear Lake. These gatherings drew trappers from across the West. They exchanged furs, purchased supplies, and swapped stories about their adventures.
Shoshone Indians
mountain men
The Shoshone Indians have lived in Cache Valley for nearly 5,000 years. They were nomadic hunters and gatherers who depended on the wild for food. Shoshone life changed dramatically in the early 1700’s when they acquired horses—horses allowed them to hunt bison and other big game. The Shoshone people called the area Willow Valley for its abundance of trees and bushes. These early inhabitants would start grass fires to drive buffalo herds and to improve forage for their horses. The fertile land of Cache Valley provided some of the best grazing area in the Great Pay your tuition & fees at the Basin region. However, those fires Registrar’s Office 246). cleared the valley of (TSC the trees and bushes it was known for, except for those located near the rivers. The look of the valley was changed forever.
The mountain men played a critical role in the settling of Cache Valley. Men such as Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith, Ephraim Logan, and Peter Skene Ogden left their names to mark the areas they explored. Jim Bridger, one of the more well known explorers, came to Cache Valley when he was just 20 years old. He was a trapper with the rocky Mountain Fur Company. He floated out of Cache Valley on the Bear River in 1824 and upon tasting the salty water he stumbled upon, he spat it out and declared, “...we are on the shores of the Pacific Ocean!” He was in fact wrong in his deduction and became one of the first known White me to see the Great Salt Lake. ***continued on the next page
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.......The early history of cache valley .................... Mountain Men
First Settlers
Fueled by high society’s demand for beaver pelts, mountain men trapped beaver. The pelts were used to line the popular top hats worn by fashionable men on the East Coast. The word “cache” is a French word that means “to store, or hide one’s treasures.” The trappers would dig a hole in the ground or on the side of a mountain and “cache” their supply of beaver pelts until they could be sold at the annual rendezvous. Bridger is said to have stashed nearly $150,000 worth of beaver pelts at the south end of Cache Valley in a town called Hyrum. Fur pelts sold for $6 a pound. The average skin weighed about 2 pounds. Ephraim Logan, for which Logan city is named, first came to Cache Valley around 1824. He attended his first Rocky Mountain Rendezvous in 1825. A few years later, Logan joined a hunting trip along the Snake River. While on this expedition, the group was attacked by some Shoshone and Logan was killed. His fame spread after his death. The Bourdon River, as it was called at the time, was renamed the Logan river in honor of Ephraim Logan. By the 1840s fashion trends had changed, which brought an end to the days of the mountain men. During this time, the beaver population in nearby Logan Canyon was almost completely wiped out.
The first permanent settlers of Cache Valley were Mormon pioneers sent by Brigham Young on July 24, 1855. He sent 23 men and 2 women to establish a cattle ranch near the Blacksmith fork river. It was named Elkhorn Ranch because of the elk antlers that hung over the main gate. They had plans to graze the cattle during the summer and then move to a warmer climate for the winter months. Unfortunately, winter came early. In a desperate attempt to save the cattle, John C. Dowdle and William Garr drove them through Wellsville Canyon to Brigham city in a raging blizzard. The snowdrifts were 4 feet deep in the valley and even deeper in the canyon. Only 420 cattle survived the ordeal and Garr lost both of his feet to the cold. In 1856, Brigham Young sent another group of Mormon pioneers to settle in Wellsville. Peter and Mary Ann Weston Maughn drove the first covered wagon into the valley. Mary Ann scanned the lush, grassy valley that lay before her and said, “Oh, what a beautiful valley.” The first seven families settled at maughan’s Fort in Wellsville on September 15, 1856. eleven days later the first snowstorm hit. Mrs. Maughan gave birth to the first child born to permanent settlers in Cache Valley. Jim Bridger, known for telling tall tales, said that since it froze every month in Cache Valley that crops would never grow there. However, Brigham Young promised the settlers that Cache Valley would become the “tranary of the West.” In only half a century, his prophecy came true. By 1915, more wheat was shipped from Cache Junction than any other town.
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......bear lake valley.............................................. The history of the Bear Lake Valley followed the same pattern as Cache Valley. It was first inhabited by the Shoshone, then mountain men who hunted and fished there for years. The first permanent setters were also sent by Brigham Young. They were led by Charles Rich, whom the county named after. Bear Lake is famous for the legend of the Bear Lake Monster. The monster has been sighted in the lake since early pioneer days.
......present day cache valley................................. Cache Valley is known for its pristine beauty and wide variety of cultural and recreational opportunities. The valley has evolved from an area used for grazing, fur-trapping, and lumbering to a place of agriculture, dairy farming, food processing, and high-tech businesses. Nearly a century ago, novelist Thomas Wolfe said of Cache Valley, “It was the most lovely and enchanted valley I have ever seen; a valley that makes all that has gone before fade as nothing.�
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............................................................................ clubs & Organizations Check out: http://www.usu.edu/asusu/clubsandorgs/ To learn about all the clubs on campus!
social clubs fraternities & Sororities
service clubs preprofessional clubs
art & media clubs religious clubs
Social awareness clubs
academic clubs
International Clubs
- International Student Council - Aggies for Africa - Armenian Student Association - Dominican Student Association - Japan Club - Middle East Club - Saudi Student Club - Taiwanese Student Association
athletics & recreational Clubs
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.......................................................................... campus life exercise facilities
Aggie Sports
usu events To find out about Utah State Events go to: http://www.usu.edu/asusu/
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.......................................................................... off campus activities http://www.visitsaltlake.com/ www.tourcachevalley.com/home
www.usu.edu/camprec/htm/orp/
www.parkcitymountain.com/
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.......................................................................... Student Services Directory
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The Office of Global Engagement
Office hours: Monday - Friday Military Science Building 115 8 am—5 pm 435-797-1124 Staff Directory Mary Hubbard: mary.hubbard@usu.edu - 435-797-3686 - Vice Provost Clarene Marley: clarene.marley@usu.edu - 435-797-9220 - Staff Assistant Shelley Comendant: shelley.comendant@usu.edu - 435-797-8322 - Accounting International Admissions Melissa Williamson: Melissa.williamson @usu.edu - 435-797-8716 - Coordinator Nancy Hyde: nancy.hyde@usu.edu - 435-797-8091 - Coordinator International Sponsored Programs Eric Sims: eric.sims@usu.edu - 435-797-9211 - Coordinator Shelly Hernandez: shelly.hernandez@usu.edu - 435-797-1647 - Coordinator Katrina Nye: trine.nye@usu.edu - 435-797-9126 - Staff Assistant Immigration Advising April Fawson april.fawson@usu.edu - 435-797-0106 - Assistant Director Maribeth Evensen-Hengge: maribeth.hengge@usu.edu - 435-797-1122 - Advisor Rob Llewellyn: rob.llewellyn@usu.edu - 435-797-1171 - Advisor LJ Flores: Lindsey.flores@usu.edu - 435-797-1124 - Staff Assistant Study Abroad Connie Radke-Kurian: connie.rk@usu.edu - 435-797-0601 - Staff Assistant Kay Forsyth: kay.forsyth@usu.edu - 435-797-1253 - Advisor Madeline Greenlick: madeline.greenlick@usu.edu - 435-797-8702 - Advisor
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