As we near the end of the quarter, ISS advisers are working diligently to meet with students, respond to emails, and process requests. Our director, assistant directors, and program assistants are also helping us process different kinds of requests to ensure we process things within a reasonable timeline. That said, we wanted to give some updates on current processing times so you know what to expect.
How long does it take for requests to be processed?
Currently, our staff is processing things within about 4 weeks. While we usually say that our processing timeline is 3 weeks or less, with the large influx of requests, some requests may be processed within a month rather than three weeks.
If requests have errors and advisers need to ask for clarification or more documentation, it may take an additional two weeks to process the requests.
My request is very important. Can it be expedited?
Unfortunately, no. We process all requests in the order they are received to be most fair to all students. We do not have the staffing or capacity to expedite any requests. Students are always encouraged to submit any requests early to ensure they obtain the proper work authorization or support they need.
One of my friends got their request processed within 5 days, does that mean that I can expect my request to be processed in less than a week?
No. Unfortunately, ISS is taking about 3-4 weeks to process all requests at this time. All requests are automatically assigned to advisers and processors through the MyISSS system and are processed in the order in which they were received.
Why can’t ISS process things more quickly?
Unfortunately, we cannot process things more quickly at this time. We have a small but mighty team and we are doing our best to process things in the order they are received. Each request that comes to our team must be processed individually which takes time. Since three of our advisers departed ISS in winter quarter, we have not been able to fill the vacancies. Thus, the remaining advisers, team leaders, and staff members have been working to cover all needs and requests of students. The sheer number of requests is great and we are unable to process things more quickly at this time.
We understand that you may feel anxious about your pending request with ISS. We thank you, in advance, for your respect and patience with our team as we work to serve you during this busy time of year.