SEVIS WEB-Based Training

Student Exchange and Visitor Immigration System Web-based training

Learning Domains:

Leadership	Social Advocacy and Justice	Education	Assessment and Evaluation	Personal Development
X		X		X

Description:

This entry discusses the process of completing a web-based training for the Student Exchange and Visitor Immigration System (SEVIS). The purpose of this training is to gain the necessary knowledge and skills in order to assume an effective role of a Designated School Official (DSO).  The responsibilities of a DSO include carrying out various actions required to update, maintain, and retrieve international student information. For instance, a DSO is responsible for issuing an I-20, a legal immigration document required for all international students as part of their application process to obtain a student visa.  This entry will reflect my progress in expanding knowledge in federal regulations and immigration requirements that address international student matters. In addition, it will describe my learning process in relevance to gaining new skills in the area of immigration compliance.

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT: identify (knowledge) 6-9 nonimmigrant F-1 student visa regulations upon completion of the DSO training by grouping them into 3 main categories (becoming an international student, maintaining student status, and employment procedures)

SWiBAT: differentiate (analysis) the guidelines for the only 3 circumstances that permit students to reduce their course load from full-time to part-time

Assessment Rubric:

	Advanced	Competent	Basic	Needs Improvement
SLO # 1	I indentified 10 or more nonimmigrant F-1 student visa regulations upon completion of the DSO training by grouping them into 3 main categories	I indentified 6-9 nonimmigrant F-1 student visa regulations upon completion of the DSO training by grouping them into 3 main categories	I indentified 2-5 nonimmigrant F-1 student visa regulations upon completion of the DSO training by grouping them into 3 main categories	I indentified 1 or fewer nonimmigrant F-1 student visa regulations upon completion of the DSO training
SLO # 2	I differentiated the guidelines for the only 3 circumstances that permit students to reduce their course load from full-time to part-time and described each of circumstances in further detail	I differentiated the guidelines for the only 3 circumstances that permit students to reduce their course load from full-time to part-time	I differentiated the guidelines for 2 circumstances that permit students to reduce their course load from full-time to part-time	that permit students to reduce their course load from full-time to part-time

Evidence:

SEVIS Training Certificate of Completion

Reflection:

Completing the SEVIS web-based training enabled me to strengthen my knowledge in F-1 student visa requirements and enhanced my decision-making skills in providing effective immigration advising to international students in my current role as an Admission and Records Specialist at Saddleback College.  I have increased my general understanding of the legal policies that pertain to becoming an international student in the U.S., maintaining international student status, and following appropriate employment procedures.  I have met the first learning outcome at the advanced level of the rubric by identifying more than 10 (14 total) F-1 immigrations requirements and created a matrix tables by grouping them into 3 main categories.  In addition, I was able to successfully differentiate between the only 3 immigration guidelines that permit F-1 students to reduce full-time course load: 1) academic difficulties, 2) medical conditions, and 3) completion of a course of study. Academic difficulties may be approved as a reason for reducing course load if a student experiences an initial difficulty with the English language or reading requirements, unfamiliarity with U.S. teaching methods, or improper course level placement (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, n.d.).  An authorization for a reduced course load due to academic difficulties is limited to one term at each program level. The guidelines for reducing course load due to medical conditions state that F-1 students with documented medical conditions can take a reduced course load (or no course load at all) if they provide the Designated School Official (DSO) with appropriate documentation from a licensed medical doctor (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, n.d.). This type of authorization period cannot exceed a total of 12 months per program level. Lastly, F-1 students in their final term of studies are not required to be enrolled full-time. They are permitted to take the amount of units needed to graduate (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, n.d.).  As a result, I accomplished the second learning outcome at the advanced level of the rubric by differentiating the guidelines for the only 3 circumstances that permit students to reduce their course load and described each of circumstances in further detail.  Overall, completing the SEVIS web-based training empowered me to become more competent at providing effective immigration advising in my daily practice to prospective and continuing students at Saddleback College.

References

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (n.d.). Student and Exchange Visitor Program: Training for Designated School Officials. Retreived from: http://www.ice.gov/exec/training/