SISS October 2012 Newsletter

Services for International Students & Scholars (SISS)

October 2012

Welcome!

12 Units

Check-In with SISS

Bike Safety

Tips for Success

Upcoming Events

Welcome to UC Davis! Last week SISS welcomed over 900 new international graduate, transfer, EAP and freshman students to UC Davis. It was a very exciting week for SISS and we wanted to thank everyone who was involved to make each of our orienta-tions such welcoming events. We also relied on 140 student, staff and community volunteers!

We are so grateful for all of the time and energy that our volunteers dedicated to welcoming our students last week during orientation! We also wanted to highlight all of the wonderful services and dedication that Catrina Wagner’s Housing/Orientation team provided to our freshman international students. INO was a huge success! Lastly, some of our new international students made local news, please read the entire article in the Davis Enterprise: http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10340&fu=092112

New students enjoying lunch

Volunteers

Volunteers Bowling at the MU

We encourage all new students and staff to “like” us on our Facebook at: //www.facebook.com/pages/UC-Davis-Services-for-International-Students-and-Scholars/114419305257806

New International Students Need to Check-In With SISS

We still have over 100 international students that have not checked in with SISS. If you are a new international student to UC Davis and you are receiving emails from SISS regarding check-in, you need to come to SISS as soon as possible to complete your required check-in process for your F-1 or J-1 student visa. We are located at University House, next to Dutton Hall. See http://siss.ucdavis.edu/maps.cfm for directions and location. Please bring your passport, I-20 or DS-2019 form, and I-94 card when you check-in at SISS. For a speedier check-in time, download and com-plete the following forms before visiting SISS: http://siss.ucdavis.edu/documents/Student_Check-in_Form-0611_FINAL.pdf SISS is open Monday-Friday from 9:00am-12:00 pm & 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Failure to check-in at SISS will result in the termination of your SEVIS record, which will require you to leave the United States and we want to avoid this at all costs so please come into SISS for your required check-in if you have not already done so.

Page 2 SISS October 2012 Newsletter

12 Unit Reminder

All new and continuing international students need to be registered in at least 12 units every fall, winter and spring quarters. As a F-1 or J-1 international student at UC Davis you are required to be a “full-time” student during the academic year, this means that you need to be registered in at least 12 units every fall, winter and spring quarters. SISS has to report to the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and verify that all of our F-1 and J-1 international students are registered in at least 12 units. Please speak with your International Student Advisor if need to apply for an Exception to Full-Time Enrollment: http://siss.ucdavis.edu/forms.cfm

SISS will continue offering drop-in advising hours. Drop-in advising should be used for simple questions and issues that can addressed in 10 minutes or less. For more complicated questions or issues you will be asked to make an appointment with your International Student Advisor. Students during drop-in will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to meeting with you during our drop-in advising hours:

Monday Afternoons: 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Thursday Afternoons: 1:00PM to 4:00PM

Friday Mornings: 9:00AM to 12:00PM

If drop-in hours don’t work for your schedule we encourage you to make an individual appointment with your International Student Advisor ahead of time. We understand that your time if valuable, so we encourage you to call SISS to set up a 30 minute appointment to meet with your International Student Advisor. If you stop by SISS and try to see your advisor immediately, it is sometimes difficult to accommodate you as our schedules are usually booked up with student appointments and drop-in advising hours. To make an appointment in advance please call the front desk of SISS at 530-752-0864 (press 0 to speak to someone) and we look forward to assisting you!

Drop-In Hours

SISS September 2012 Newsletter

Davis is the Biking Capital!

Buying a Bike

Here are some places where you can purchase new and used bicycles in Davis and on campus:

New Bikes:

The ASUCD Bike Barn is a full service bike shop located on campus near the Silo.

http://bikebarn.ucdavis.edu

(530) 752-2575

Used Bikes:

Green Bicycle Depot

965 Olive Drive, Davis

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/dZWKF

(530) 759-0828

Davis Bike Exchange

511 L Street, Davis

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/s9sRH

(530) 753-4600

UC Davis Bike Auction

Saturday, October 13th

West Entry Parking Structure

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/l0sGM

(530) 752-2453

Register your Bike:

All bikes on the UC Davis campus must have a current California Bicycle License. A new license costs $10

and are good for 3 years.

Available at TAPS

Map: http://goo.gl/maps/yX3SB

(530) 752-2453

Learn the Rules:

You can take a FREE online bicycle safety course to learn how to avoid a citation or bike crash on campus.

Visit: http://bikesafety.ucdavis.edu

Lock Your Bike: Always lock your bike and lock it to a bike rack! With so many bicycles on campus, parking

regulations are strictly enforced. Illegally parked bikes are subject to impoundment and fine. U-locks are

the recommended type of lock. UC Davis Bicycle Program Additional resources can be found online at:

http://TAPS.ucdavis.edu/bicycle

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Page 4 SISS October 2012 Newsletter

The following letter was written by Khushboo Patel, a current undergraduate international student at UC Davis. Khushboo is from Zambia and she transferred to UC Davis from a community college.

One of the biggest challenges I faced when transferring from a Community College to

the UC system was the switch from the semester system to the dreaded quarter system.

Moving from a 16 week class to 10 weeks was a huge change because time went by surpris-

ingly fast which made me feel extremely uncomfortable as homework and midterms came

by more often. However, there is a way to overcome this; keep on track with you classes.

One can easily fall behind with studies, but if you dedicate certain hours within your day to

go over lectures and get homework done on time, the semester to quarter change will be

less menacing. Also be prepared to be in classes with over 400 students rather than the

small 30 student class size. Being close to your professor is a lot more difficult when you’re a

small ant in a large room and you cannot expect you professor to know all his 400 students

well. This is when going to office hours comes in handy. Knowing your professor well can

make you feel more comfortable with the class and better letters of recommendations from

professors is always a plus for graduate school.

My first year at UC Davis was a little overwhelming my time got flooded with classes,

events, research, club activities and sports. There is never nothing to do at UC Davis whereas at my community col-

lege we hardly even had any clubs. I instantly joined three clubs, wanted to get involved in research and of course

wanted to stay fit and used the ARC very often. However, trying to juggle these things wasn’t the smartest idea as I

used to get stressed because of lack of time. Time management is a crucial thing in college so my advice is to make

sure you are able to handle the load and not just jump into the deep end and get stressed for time. However, getting

involved in clubs and activities was fun and is a great way to make new friends who have similar interests. I under-

stand that as an international student it isn’t easy to makes friends’ so getting involved is the perfect way out.

Overall UC Davis is a beautiful campus and has a lot to offer for its students. Never be afraid to ask questions

because personally I know that international students like myself have many to ask. There is no such thing as a

stupid question. -Khushboo Patel

Tips from a Transfer Student

Tips from a Graduate Student The following tips were written by Xue Li, a current graduate international student at UC Davis, she is from China and studying Civil Engineering.

1. Learn about a country's food culture would make us feel more welcome and at ease in daily life.

2. Take this opportunity to make more foreign friends. It's better to step outside our own country's circle and try to socialize.

3. Speak loud for our own rights and benefits. Subtleness and going-around-the-bush does not work in the U.S. If we get overwhelmed with our research assignments or tasks, speak loud. Tell our advisors what we are able to do and what is beyond our ability .

4. We are in this "out-reaching" era and university, so if we need help, reach out and there will always be some one, some place that could help us, e.g. SISS is definitely a great place to start with. Along with Graduate Studies, GAC, etc.

5. Have fun and enjoy the new experience!

Page 5 SISS October 2012 Newsletter

International Students Club The is having their first fall event on October 5th. Come to the Stu-

dent Community Center (near the SILO), room D at 5pm. After a a short info session, you will join the other members for the pa-jamarino event, downtown. For more information, join the facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/iscdavis/ or contact Shehzad Lokhandwalla: sslokhandwalla@ucdavis.edu

NEW for International Graduate Students!

Society of International Graduate Students (SIGS) Potluck Saturday, October 20th International House (I-House) 10 College Park, Davis 4:30PM– 7:30PM Bring a favorite dish from your country. We will provide drinks and be ready to win some prizes.

Coffee Break

All students are encouraged to attend. Invite your U.S. friends. Tuesday, October 30th Student Community Center, Room D 2:00PM-4:00PM

Upcoming SISS Events

Other Important Dates to Remember…..

October 5-6, 2012 (Homecoming) For a list of events please visit http://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/s/787/NoRtCol.aspx?sid=787&gid=1&pgid=327

October 10, 2012 (10th Day of Instruction) The last day to drop a course without the permission of your Dean’s Office

October 12, 2012 (12th Day of Instruction) The last day to add courses on SISWEB

Free Yoga Class: Life Skills through Yoga For anybody and any gender Thursdays, 12:00pm – 1:00pm All levels: Beginners welcome! Starts October 4, 2011* Student Community Center, Room D

*View schedule and topics on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Life-Skills-through-Yoga/150009281713734?sk=info

Spouse’s Reception Children welcome! Wednesday, October 31st International House (I-House) 10 College Park, Davis

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We still have spaces in the Student Academic Success Center's Fall 2012.

2-unit EDU 98: American Cultural Values &

the University Experience!

Enrollment is now open to ALL international students, including freshmen, transfers, EAP and GSP.

We have openings in the following sections (as of 9/28/12):

CRN Course Sect.Type Title Units* Day/Time Building/Room

44064 EDU 98 13 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 9:00-9:50A South 16

44065 EDU 98 14 SEM American C V & U E 2 TR 9:00-9:50A Dutton 3216

44066 EDU 98 15 SEM American C V & U E 2 TR 9:00-9:50A South 16

44068 EDU 98 17 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 10:00-10:50A Dutton 2258

44069 EDU 98 18 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 10:00-10:50A South 16

44072 EDU 98 21 SEM American C V & U E 2 TR 10:00-10:50A South 16

44074 EDU 98 23 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 2:10-3:00P Dutton 2258

44075 EDU 98 24 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 2:10-3:00P South 16

44078 EDU 98 27 SEM American C V & U E 2 MW 11:00-11:50A Dutton 3218

*When registering, be sure to enter "2" for unit value. Check your Fall 2012 schedule and enroll now!

New Class: American Values & the University Experience

Other Important Dates to Remember…..

October 5-6, 2012 (Homecoming) For a list of events please visit http://www.alumni.ucdavis.edu/s/787/NoRtCol.aspx?sid=787&gid=1&pgid=327

October 10, 2012 (10th Day of Instruction) The last day to drop a course without the permission of your Dean’s Office

October 12, 2012 (12th Day of Instruction) The last day to add courses on SISWEB

New for Graduate Students and Scholars: Presentation & Discussion Series

Bring your own lunch and we will provide dessert. These informal presentations will be interactive and provide time for discussion. For complete list of topics and dates, contact madelgado@ucdavis.edu.

Monday, October 22 12:00pm-1:00pm MU Fielder Room Adjusting to a New Culture

Monday, October 29 12:00pm-1:00pm MU Fielder Room Balancing Academics and Social Life

Monday, November 5 12:00pm-1:00pm MU Fielder Room Communicating with Professors and Peers