OISS Policies & Procedures

Revised 11/7/2024

Background

This document outlines the standard operating procedures of the Office of International Students & Scholars. It sets the tone, expectations, and policies for the OISS, in line with the expectations and policies set forth by Rice and the VPAA division under which it operates. All OISS staff is expected to comply with all policies set forth in this document, as well as Rice’s standard policies (Policies | Rice University).

All staff should re-read the policy handbook as part of their annual evaluation. Any additional thoughts, or ideas related to OISS office policy are welcomed.

Mission of OISS

The mission of Rice University’s Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS) is to support and advocate for the international population at Rice University. OISS is an essential part of the lived experience of international students, faculty, and staff and we support their journey towards meeting their academic and career goals by providing expert knowledge and care.

Our goal is to maintain Rice University's compliance with immigration regulations and provide advice to the international population to support maintenance of their visa status. We strive to be a nationally known international student and scholar office with a high level of care and expertise.

The purpose of our office

• To provide international students and scholars with advice, information, and documentation necessary to maintain their legal status in the U.S.;
• To represent the university to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State, SEVIS and other federal agencies;
• To support international students' and scholars' adjustment to life in the U.S. and campus culture;
• To maintain university compliance with immigration regulations so that the university can continue to host international students, faculty, and staff.

Expectations

Office Expectations

https://policy.rice.edu/401

1) All employees in OISS are expected to treat each other with respect and to give grace where it is needed. As employees of Rice University we must also adhere to the "Employee Expectations for Working at Rice" and ensure that OISS is always presented as a knowledgeable, reliable, and caring team of professionals.

2) Working beyond the 40-hour work week should be considered outside the norm of operations. There are specific times of the year when OISS activities require working outside normal business hours such as new student orientation, or increased I-20, OPT, or CPT processing seasons as an example. Employees who regularly work outside normal business hours should bring this to the attention of their supervisor. It is expected that employees are doing their best to complete the necessary tasks for the day.

3) Advisors have the option to mark off time for paperwork and no appointments. Advisors should be responsible in checking the calendar or other advisors to ensure that adequate advising staff are available throughout the day. Being flexible is a necessary part of this work as emergencies can arise that may interfere with the tasks planned for that day. If assistance is needed to complete time sensitive tasks advisors should speak with their supervisor.

4) Lunch should be marked on the calendar so that lunch time is protected and employees can take their break.

5) The front desk has control of the calendar and need not interrupt the advisors to ask permission to make an appointment for time not marked. Standard appointment times are between 9am-4pm.

6) If you are running late send a Google chat to the OISSbeststaffever group.

7) Every position in OISS and at Rice University is important and should be respected as such. The way that you treat your co-workers is a directly reflection on you and OISS. It is expected that everyone shows respect and kindness.

8) Manage your work and perceptions. Know that you are not always aware of other projects or work that others are doing. If you have a concern related to your workload distribution you should speak directly to your supervisor or the AVP for International Education & Director of OISS.

9) Feedback is always welcomed. If anyone wishes to discuss office guidelines or university policies please contact the AVP, Director or your direct supervisor.

10) At all times, the international students and scholars and Rice departments should receive the best service possible. We will maintain and exceed our reputation as one of the best offices at Rice and a standard for other ISS services offices across the nation.

11) No one has the right to yell, berate, or otherwise be harmful to OISS staff. If you experience harassment, or unprofessional behavior notify your supervisor or the AVP for International Education & Director of OISS immediately.

12) Mistakes happen, hopefully a very low number of mistakes. If you make a mistake you need to speak up so that your supervisor or the AVP for international Education & Director of OISS can help remedy the situation. It will be expected that you learn from the mistake and make recommendations if needed to prevent it from happening again.

13) If something is wrong, uncomfortable, or upsetting you, speak up. OISS leadership cannot help if we do not know what is going on. Do not let things sit and affect you, please tell someone.

Use of Office Space for Meetings

Due to limited office space, employees may need to use alternative spaces for meetings. These alternative spaces include the first floor breakroom, the third floor flex space, and offices that are empty (work from home days, or PTO).

Meeting Expectations - OISS Work Ethic Policy

1) Be proactive – ask how you can help, step up, manage your time well, and keep your supervisor informed.

2) Take ownership of your job – Duties and projects change, but it is your responsibility to know what tasks have been assigned to you and the deadlines that must be met. If you are uncertain about priorities/tasks, then ask. Accuracy, time management, appropriate escalation are all standard expectations, as is making it a priority to circle back with your supervisor. Your professional growth and development require intentionality on your part. If there is a meeting you would like to sit in, ask. If there is a regulation you want to explore more, do so and follow up with your supervisor for more information. Take charge of your career growth and know that the goal is for everyone to grow professionally and be supported.

3) Be trustworthy – do what you say you are going to do, show up for yourself and others, and take accountability for your actions.

Office Policies

Escalation of Issues Policy

If issues need to be escalated, please follow the appropriate chain of command and report issues to your direct supervisor or “back-up”. All staff members have access to the OISS emergency contact phone numbers at https://oiss.rice.edu/internal-emergencycontact to contact their supervisors, as needed, if they are out of the office. Issues requiring escalation include severe financial issues, law enforcement issues, emotional distress, mental and physical health issues, etc.

In-Office “Back-Up” Policy

In order to facilitate a continuous work flow, there are back up procedures.

1) If the AVP, Director is out of the office, Program Directors will be first line back-up.

2) Front area should always be backed up, as should the phones. If a large number of people are up front waiting to be attended, available staff should assist in backing up the front (including staff blocked out for paperwork, if necessary) as requested by the front.

3) For details on how to back-up front line position when they are out or unavailable, please review Internal | OISS | Rice University, T:\Office Administration; For procedures on processing urgent admissions packets, please review T:\Office Administration

4) New programs/activities proposed for approval should have the T:\Office Administration and find OISS.Program.Plan.Checklist completed to indicate who will be the lead and who will be back-up

Phone Policy

All staff should pay attention to the main line ringing. If you hear the main line ringing repeatedly, pick up the phone if you are available. When answering the phone be sure to greet the caller and say the name of the office at Rice University.

Transferring phone calls
The front-line will make the determination on what calls need to be transferred and to whom. If you receive a call and are not sure how to answer it, take note of the details and let the caller know that you will obtain the information needed and update them as soon as possible. It is important that someone not be repeated from person to person and it is okay to take a message and take time to do some research.

Written messages
It is policy to take written messages, as a means of documenting volume and keeping track of requests. Written messages may be sent by email or Google chat. All phone messages are to be returned within 24 hours.

Schedules policy

OISS is open from 8:30am-5pm, with staff staggered to cover all hours. All staff are expected to work their full-time schedule and adhere to their agreed-upon start time.

If you are running late - Please remember that if you are going to be late, please send a Google chat to the #oissbeststaffever group so that we are aware.

If you have planned to be out - Be sure you have cleared that in advance with your direct supervisor(s) – see Planned Absence - PTO Request Policy

If you have an unplanned absence (e.g. ill, emergency) - Be sure to tell your direct supervisor(s) by phone/email/text/Google chat at the earliest opportunity. - see Unplanned Absence - PTO Policy

Planned Absence - PTO Request Policy

Rice has a generous PTO policy and we should use PTO as needed. It is important to plan ahead, unless it is an emergency, so that we can provide a consistent experience for our constituents and limit disruptions for other team members.

Guidelines

• If you are in a dual reporting role, you should notify both supervisors of your PTO dates.
• In order for orientation to be successful and run smoothly the presence of all OISS team members is needed.
• Requests for extended periods (2 weeks or more) should be made at least 1 month in advance.
• It is encouraged to take advantage of bonus days off, before or after a holiday. Everyone should be considerate so that more people can take advantage of this option (ex: request days off before Thanksgiving or after, not both).
• Be sure to secure back-ups for work that you need to have covered while you are out and offer to reciprocate when it is your back-ups turn to take off.
• See Preparing for benefit time + returning from benefit time for additional reminders

Procedure

1. Check the calendar to verify that the dates/time you wish to take off are available
2. Mark the days/time you wish to take with “PTO”
3. Email your supervisor(s) to notify them of your planned time off at least 48 hours in advance
4. Submit your request in iO and mark those dates out on the calendar with “PTO”

Unplanned Absence - PTO Policy

During an unplanned absence, be sure to notify your supervisor as soon as possible by text/chat. If there is an urgent matter that you are aware of let your supervisor know. Otherwise your supervisor will take care of arranging coverage for you, based on the events on your calendar.

Taking time off

It is expected that you take care of all pending business and apprise your supervisor of the status of your work before you leave. A plan must be put in place to manage through back-ups any deadlines that will take place while you are out. Taking time off is an important part of self care. Team members will support each other during planned and unplanned PTO so that everyone can enjoy their time off without worry. If anyone needs help with catching up after taking time off they should speak with their supervisor.

General Backups:
- Review go-to chart, general tasks, processing responsibilities, etc. that need coverage while you are on PTO.
- Coordinate back-ups, including training or guides, to assist while you are out.
- Update your supervisor and the team as a whole whenever back-ups have been set so all know who/how to direct requests that come in while you are out.

Calendar:
- Review your calendar for the dates when you will be out. Make sure that it is marked with PTO/conference/etc. and identify prescheduled/standing appointments that need coverage while you are out.
- Coordinate back-ups for any signature days, check-ins, OPT follow-ups, and other scheduled appointments.
- Update the calendar with changes. Please note that for repeating events (signature days/OPT follow-ups, etc.) and pre-scheduled Zoom appointments (ex: check-ins/OPTs) that already have attendees it is best to ask for assistance for calendar updates. PD for Operations can assist with these updates, as simply reassigning can mess up the calendar and impacts all future repeated events.

Online document/request submissions
- Review the "OISS Online Intakes with default backups" chart (T:\OISS Procedures\- OISS process flow – infrastructure) for intake processes that are directly assigned to you (Tip: Filter the list to your name under Primary task owner).
- Coordinate back-ups for time-sensitive tasks that cannot wait until your return. Determine with your back-up the preferred method for back-up while you are out.
- Update Andy and rest of team with how these items will be addressed.
Option 1: Ask PD for Operations to reroute notifications to backup during PTO period, so they get an email for each request/submission.
Option 2: Backup can manually monitor "In case of emergency, break glass" folder in OISS email for any submissions.

Documentation policy

A lot of information passes through OISS. The number of reporting actions, meetings, emails, phone calls, and documents issued make it extremely difficult to keep up with everything. It is extremely important that everyone prioritize documenting conversations, instructions, policies and procedures. Putting notes in the ISSM record should be considered instrumental to our protocol. If there is something that leadership should be aware of please be sure to put it in writing through a chat or email. It is the responsibility of each person to take their own notes, set their own reminders, and make each other aware of what action needs to be taken. We are a team.

Confidentiality Policy

All issues concerning international students & scholars are to be considered confidential/sensitive information.

Should an international student or scholar appear distressed or have an issue of great concern, please indicate the general nature of the issue in the Notes section of that student’s record. Please be sure to use the “Confidential” notes category. Please also inform your supervisor regarding these issues. The purpose of this policy is to allow other advisors to pick up the case if needed while another advisor is out. Be careful of having conversations in common areas where other visitors can hear.

Staff Meeting Notes Policy

The Department Coordinators will take notes for the staff meeting. It is each person's responsibility to also take their own notes especially regarding matters that are assigned to them or that affect their work.

Special Programs Policy

All staff are encouraged to participate in or facilitate special programs, events, professional appointments, forums, panels, etc. For events that occur during regular office hours or are affiliated with using your position at Rice, notify your supervisor before accepting the role. Your supervisor and the AVP, Director work with you to determine your time commitment relative to your work and use their best effort to support you in pursuing professional development. You may need to assist with finding back ups during times that the special program or event overlaps with your work schedule. If you feel that you are expected to participate in a special program or event but you do not want to participate please discuss this with your supervisor.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Policy

Rice University Policy No. 838 describes the Conflict of Interest Policy. If you feel that any activity that you are participating in may have a conflict of interest please notify your supervisor and you may need to disclose the activity with the Office of Ethics, Compliance and Enterprise Risk before engaging in the activity.

OISS Budget Policy

1) All receipts must be turned in to the Int'l Department Coordinator within one week from the date of purchase. See https://oiss.rice.edu/internal-budget for procedures.

2) Expense reports must be completed within one week from the event.

3) Expense reports should be reviewed for accuracy, submitted by you to your line manager on the 1st of the month.

4) You must do your best to get the tax exemption. Reimbursements will be done on a pre-tax basis, to comply with Rice's tax-exempt status.

5) If you are traveling to a conference and staying at a hotel in Texas, you must take the "Hotel Tax Exemption" form located on the Payment Solutions (Buy/Pay) website to receive the credit for that exemption.

Budget Tips and Helpful Information

1) Make copies of applicable travel forms (see Budget Related Forms)

2) Scan all your receipts to the IDC (Intl Dept Coordinator) while traveling. Keep a tax exemption form with you, in case you go to a store to purchase something that requires additional tax exemption documentation.

3) Turn in your receipts as soon as possible to avoid accidentally losing them.

4) If a receipt is lost, be sure to request the lost receipt affidavit so that OISS remains compliant.

Budget Related Forms

Budget procedures - https://oiss.rice.edu/internal-budget
Lost Receipt form - https://cashier.rice.edu/sites/g/files/bxs3876/files/inline-files/Receipt%20Affidavit_0.pdf
Tax Exemption form (https://controller.rice.edu/tax-forms)
Texas Hotel Occupancy Exemption Certificate (https://controller.rice.edu/tax-forms)

OISS Letter and Travel Signature Policy

Letters and travel signatures will be returned to students by the next day after 2:00pm. For example: If a request comes in on Friday anytime, it will be ready on Monday after 2:00pm. (Emergencies will be given, but not mentioned in the written policy, and sparingly, as appropriate.) The designated person on call for the letters/travel signature is expected to check the T drive box routinely, and ensure it is cleared out at the end of the day.

Work "hand-off" Policy

Most OISS processes are "assembly line" style, where multiple people are involved in a single process/task. When handing off work, communication is essential so that nothing falls through the cracks.

Frontline is also the in/out point for most tasks, so please be sure to Google chat/email when frontline support is needed. Please refrain from just leaving items at the frontdesk without proper instructions.

Resolving Conflicting Procedures/Regulatory Follow-up Policy

In an ever-changing office, it is not uncommon for conflicting procedures and regulatory guidance discord to occur. When observed, an ad hoc meeting may be called or clarification requested from Director to determine our position, so that we are all on the same page.

VPN

All staff is expected to have VPN setup as part of onboarding, as VPN is necessary in order to access ISSM, shared T drive, and campus intranet. Without it, working from home or handling emergencies is an impossibility. If you have difficulty, please contact the HelpDesk who can guide you or even set up your personal laptop for you.

Teamwork

In order for OISS to manage the high volume and workload it is charged with by the University and by government compliance demands, everyone is expected to carry his/her load. All efforts are made by management to balance out workloads. Collaborative communication is also imperative, as most tasks in OISS have a domino effect. Frequent and clear communication is required to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.

Inquiries for Comments with Media and Journalists

If you are called by a reporter or a media journalist to comment or respond on anything, please send to Director or send directly to the Office of Public Affairs and cc: Director.

This applies to all media, even the Thresher (student newspaper). Questions/requests from Rice News are okay to answer, but make sure to keep Director informed.

Emergency Issues Protocols

General Protocol for All Situations

All OISS staff must strictly follow the protocol for emergency issues.

In the process of resolving each urgent scenario, the situation is in constant change. Periodic meetings of the appropriate Rice personnel should be convened to share updates. The “leader” of the group to resolve each issue may change, depending upon the turn of events. Flexibility and communication between the resolution group members is essential.

Additional Note for Scholars: They should be treated as all other employees when and where appropriate. This can vary, depending up on the situation at hand, therefore response may be handled on a case-by-case basis.

** For any issue affecting a J Exchange Visitor, it must be escalated to a J advisor.

OISS Staff Receives Report on Alleged Crime of a Student or Scholar

1) Report to OISS director

2) OISS Director to immediately notify:
i) Rice Police Department (RUPD) – Chief of Police, or supervisor in charge at the time.
ii) Follow process in https://policy.rice.edu/844
iii) General Counsel
iv) (Students only) Student Judicial Affairs

3) Email “heads-up” as a professional courtesy (scholars only) Director for Employee Relations in HR

4) Encourage student(s) to seek counseling at Rice Counseling Center, (RCC). Give RCC Director “heads-up that there is a student at risk. Scholars are encouraged to use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through LifeWorks.

5) Report properly in SEVIS within 21 days of being notified of university disciplinary action as a result of a crime.

Special Note: Same procedure to follow whether crime happens: 1) on-campus, 2) off-campus, 3) Rice student is a victim or 4) Rice student is being accused of committing the crime.

Special Note for Scholars Only: OISS is required to report certain incidents related to J-1 scholar employees.

OISS Staff Gets Report That Student Friend or Self is Suicidal or Emotionally Unstable

1) Report to OISS director

2) Call Rice Counseling Center (RCC) (students)/Human Resources (scholars) for consultation

3) Contact RUPD immediately for welfare check

4) Encourage student to go to RCC. Encourage scholar to contact Director of Employee Relations/HR and/or Life Works (EAP) for counseling services and other resources.

5) Convene emergency response team to coordinate further courses of action, as needed (may include other OISS team members/case workers, RCC/HR, DOU, GPS, Dean's office, etc)

6) Give RCC Director “heads-up” that there is a student at risk. Ask RCC to get student’s written permission to notify OISS that they did seek help.

7) OISS Director to call Academic advisor (GR) or Magister (UG) only after emergency response team has assessed the situation (students)

OISS Staff is Informed That a Rice International is in an Off-Campus Jail

1) Report to OISS director

2) Contact RUPD to try to find out where student or scholar is.

3) OISS director to notify:
i) General Counsel
ii) Dean of Undergraduates (For UG students) or Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (for GR students)
iii) (For all students) Student Judicial Affairs, if appropriate

4) If at all possible, OISS director (or other staff) to visit student or scholar in jail. Try to find out from person in jail who could bail him/her out.

5) (For scholars) On a case-by-case basis, OISS director to notify Director of Human Relations/HR as a professional courtesy.

6) When released from jail, encourage student to go to RCC. Encourage scholar to contact Director of Employee Relations/HR and/or Life Works (EAP) for counseling services and other resources.

7) Report properly in SEVIS within 21 days if university gives disciplinary action as a result of a crime.

Rice International Student or Scholar Dies

1) Report to Rice Police or request necessary information from HPD or RUPD

2) Report properly in SEVIS. Report to the Department of State (DOS) for J Exchange Visitors.

3) Director to notify:
i) General Counsel
ii) Dean of Undergraduates (For UG students) or Dean of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (for GR students)
iii) Rice Counseling Center (students)
iv) Director for Employee Relations in HR (scholars)
v) Risk Manager, if foreign national dies on-campus.

4) Notify academic advisor (GR) or Magister (UG).

5) Contact the deceased family, unless DOU or GPS taking over, and contact next to kin in the U.S. if appropriate. Emergency contacts on file; send condolence letter

6) Refer roommates/friends of deceased to RCC for counseling or EAP for scholars’ close friends or family. Can get information from Director of Employee Relations / HR.

7) Contact Embassy/Consulate of the deceased

8) Refers calls from media to Office of Public Affairs

9) Assist in offering resources for any outstanding medical insurance issues, or utilization of insurance coverage for repatriation and other concerns. ** NOTE: most insurances will coordinate all the aspects and NOT provide reimbursement, so it is important to start directly with the insurance company.

10) Research grieving rituals of the deceased, burial procedures, religious rites. Can use the help of funeral homes and campus ministries.

11) Help student organizations/friends in preparation of announcement of the death or planning of the memorial services on campus

12) Assist in sending necessary documents or transcripts back home

OISS Staff Receives Extraordinary Request for Information on a Rice International by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

1) Report to F-1 Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) / J Program Responsible Officer (RO) / OISS Director.

2) Director to contact General Counsel, if necessary.

3) PDSO / RO / OISS Director will respond directly to DHS.

Special Note: General I-17 (F-1) or DS-3035 (J-1) requests should be handled through the OISS. The order of response above would then change to: 1, 3, 2. OISS Director would need to ensure validity of agent by getting call back number and verifying or reviewing request in writing with proper letterhead.

Resource - How to Prepare for an ICE/DHS/FBI visit

OISS Staff Receives Extraordinary Request for Information on a Rice International by the FBI

1) Report to OISS director

2) Director to contact General Counsel.

3) OISS Director to meet with agents.

Special Note: General FBI requests should be handled through the OISS. The order of response above would then change to: 1, 3, 2. OISS Director would need to ensure validity of agent by getting call back number and verifying or reviewing request in writing with proper letterhead.

Resource - How to Prepare for an ICE/DHS/FBI visit

If a Rice International Gets Injured On-Campus

1) Call Rice EMS or RUPD

2) Report to OISS director

3) OISS director to notify:
i) Risk Manager
ii) (UG Student) College Magister
iii) (GR Student) Advisor and Academic Departmental Coordinator

4) OISS director or OISS staff to visit person in hospital, if possible.

5) Seek information to contact family at home.

6) Give “heads-up” to RCC for serious injuries.

7) Inform of necessary paperwork to complete:
i) (Student) Medical Accident form
ii) (Scholar) Worker’s Compensation

If a Rice International Gets Seriously Injured Off-Campus

1) Call 911

2) Report to OISS director

3) OISS director to notify:
i) RUPD
ii) Risk Manager
iii) (UG Student) College Magister
iv) (GR Student) Advisor and Academic Departmental Coordinator

4) OISS director or OISS staff to visit person in hospital, if possible.

5) Assist as much as possible in filing a claim, working along Student Insurance or Paul Fisher (Wellfleet).

6) Seek information to contact family at home.

International Student or Scholar Reports or Questions (Directly or Indirectly) Potential Sexual Harassment

1) Discuss with OISS director

2) OISS director to talk to Director of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs (EEOP) to determine best course of action. (https://aeeo.rice.edu/sexual-harassment-policies)

3) OISS director to contact Title IX coordinator to report as required.

Natural Disaster Response Protocol

In cases like hurricane or other natural disasters, we would be required to account for all F-1s and J-1s. DHS will inquire, as will DOS to ensure that all internationals wellness checks are completed and reported accordingly.

1) Discuss with OISS director

2) Sending out a survey is the preferred method to account for all students/scholars and to ensure they are safe and if there are any immediate needs to be addressed (health, housing, documents, etc.). Other offices on-campus may be doing similar checks, so coordination could be helpful, but could also hinder the turnaround time required by DHS/DOS. Former surveys used for Hurricane Harvey and others exist in the OISS Qualtrics account that may be adapted to suit our needs (https://riceuniversity.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cU5GwWhU33eABwN).

3) Communicate plan of action with DHS/DOS partners as required. Communication will generally come from PDSO/RO, however due to potential communication issues, an alternate plan may be coordinated.

4) OISS coordination teams will be determined to assist with different areas, including compliance reporting to government, donation drives to assist those impacted, emergency fund dissemination, case work for more complex issues, etc. Some efforts may be coordinated in tandem with other offices.

NOTE: additional protocol may be disseminated by the Rice Emergency Response Team. Always follow guidelines listed on emergency.rice.edu.

Large-scale SCAM Response Protocol

For situations where international students or scholars are scammed out of large sums of money ($10K - $100K+). Similar protocol may be followed for smaller amounts as well, but not all steps may be required.

1) Discuss with OISS director.

2) Direct individual to file a report with RUPD.

3) Encourage individual to immediately start writing down sequence of events, step-by-step, as many details as possible, to facilitate making report to RUPD and other possible government agencies.

4) Work with RUPD to determine what, if any, alerts need to be given to other agency partners (HSI/FBI/DHS).

5) Connect student with Wellbeing/RCC or scholar with EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) to help work through emotions that follow this kind of event (fear, grief, depression, etc.).

6) Work within OISS to determine who else may need to be notified for additional support (with permission from the individual), including Pia in GPS for grads, possible DOU or Magisters for undergrads, supervisor/department for scholars, etc.

7) Follow-up with individual with encouragement and advising, as needed.

** If J Exchange Visitor, determine with J team whether a DOS Incident Report must be filed.

Guidelines for Law Enforcement Inquiries

The FBI and other law enforcement officials have been interviewing international students and scholars around the country. If Rice internationals are contacted for such an interview, the information below might help to make things more understandable.

1. OISS encourages members of our community to cooperate with legitimate investigations by law enforcement officials, but each person must make their own decision.

2. Agreeing to an interview with law enforcement is voluntary, unless the officer has and shows you, a court order of summons. If an officer or agent does have a proper court order or summons, you must comply with it. In such an event, you should contact legal counsel to advise you.

3. If you are contacted by the FBI or other law enforcement officers, you may find it helpful to write down what is said, so that you can respond to it accurately. If you want more time to respond, you may request another time for the meeting. Get the officer’s name and contact information and clarify whether there is any deadline for the interview to continue.

4. You can require that law enforcement officers provide you proof of identity and can ask the subject matter of the questioning and why you were selected for questioning.

5. You may want to contact a parent or other family member when considering requests from law enforcement officers. Each person’s situation is unique, but it is often a good idea to speak with personal advisors and/or seek legal advice.

6. If you agree to an interview, you can require certain conditions such as scheduling a convenient time or location, and requiring that someone be present with you during the interview (such as a legal representative or a translator).

7. Although the OISS cannot give legal advice, you can call us if you have any questions or concerns.

This information was adapted from the MIT international office, and reviewed by Rice University’s General Counsel Office. January 2002 and reapproved May 2005.