PARTS: Penn’s Annual Roundtable with Stakeholders
Collaboration with Government Agencies
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Manages U.S. entry, reviews travel documents and determines immigration status.
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT): Issues driver’s licenses and identification cards.
- Social Security Administration (SSA): Issues Social Security numbers for employment-eligible international students.
- Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP): Oversees the SEVIS system to manage student immigration records.
- U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS): Adjudicates F-1 students’ applications for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Through PARTS, Penn collaborates with these agencies to better support the needs of international students and scholars.
Purpose and Intended Outcomes
Each year, stakeholders gather to share best practices, discuss business process improvements, and provide updates on government policies and office initiatives.
Positive Outcomes of Stakeholder Collaboration: These meetings foster positive outcomes, including expanded networking among agencies and clearer, more effective communication.
Impact on Service Delivery: This collaboration has significantly enhanced service delivery to international students and scholars, enabling them to navigate government services with a clear understanding of expectations.
Commitment of Partner Agencies: Our partner agencies are committed to delivering the best possible support within existing regulations, leading to a notable decrease in issues and concerns from our international community.
How can the Penn community be Involved
To better advocate for your needs, ISSS gathers feedback from international students, scholars, faculty, schools, and departments on:
- Challenges and concerns with these services
- Suggestions for process improvements
- Positive service experiences
- Stories of exemplary service from government employees and staff