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The Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor has a dual role as an International Student Advisor and the primary administrator of the MyOISS application, which is powered by the SUNAPSIS software package. SUNAPSIS is an application that interacts directly with the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and MSU’s software systems for students, employees, and visiting scholars. Ensuring the smooth functioning and data integrity of SUNAPSIS is crucial for the university to comply with federal immigration regulations. The Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor will take the lead in planning, developing, implementing, and supporting new SUNAPSIS functionality. They will act as the main liaison between MSU OISS, MSU IT Services, and the SUNAPSIS vendor. In addition, the Senior International Student and Scholar Advisor will provide end user support, develop training materials, and conduct trainings related to SUNAPSIS. They will also serve as an International Student Advisor, handling a caseload of F and J student advising for one month.

OISS operates on a flexible hybrid schedule, with staff members working three days in-person on campus and two days remotely. This position cannot be fully remote.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

MyOISS (SUNAPSIS)

– Ensure accurate and timely updating of institutional data for international students and scholars to support university compliance with federal immigration regulations.
– Report regularly to OISS leadership on SUNAPSIS-related issues, including interfaces with other systems, and consult with them on SUNAPSIS-related needs.
– Monitor for issues requiring attention and manage SUNAPSIS alerts.
– Continuously develop business processes to fully implement and optimize SUNAPSIS functionalities, including checklists, eForms, eForm groups, updates and upgrades, and reporting.
– Collaborate with IT Services to ensure correct functioning of the interface between SEVIS, SUNAPSIS, and MSU’s SIS by monitoring changes and performing audits as needed.
– Act as the liaison between IT Services and the SUNAPSIS vendor to maintain consistent batch processing and troubleshoot any issues between SUNAPSIS and SEVIS.
– Assist in communicating technical changes to staff and university stakeholders that may impact processing and compliance for international students and scholars.
– Provide training support to users through personal contact, workshops, group meetings, and the preparation of educational/informational materials to ensure effective usage of the systems.
– Actively participate in SUNAPSIS user groups.
– Coordinate OISS reporting needs for international students and scholars, and provide training to additional staff as necessary.
– Organize and prioritize requests/tickets from multiple stakeholders based on guidance from supervisor.
– Perform other duties as assigned.

Advising

– Serve as a Designated School Official (DSO) and an Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for the university’s F-1 student program and J-1 Exchange Visitor program.
– Advise international students, scholars, and academic departments on immigration matters related to F and J statuses.
– Manage a caseload of student advising.
– Interpret complex U.S. immigration regulations, policies, and procedures related to F/J immigration benefits, including maintenance of status, practical training, and other student visa regulations.
– Work as part of a team to ensure MSU’s compliance with reporting and ability to host international students and scholars.
– Prepare immigration documents for international students, scholars, and their dependents.
– Assist students and scholars with personal, academic, and financial issues.
– Assist in the development, coordination, and delivery of OISS programs, workshops, and presentations.
– Support special projects, student outreach efforts, and student organization support as needed.
– Perform other duties as assigned.

The Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS) at Michigan State University provides support to international students, scholars, and families. Their services include advising on and facilitating compliance with U.S. immigration regulations, conducting orientations and special programming to help international students and scholars adjust to academic, cultural, and social life at MSU, acting as a liaison with U.S. government agencies, foreign embassies, sponsors, and educational foundations supporting international students and scholars, and contributing to the internationalization of MSU through cross-cultural interactions.

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