Course sites are now on Blackboard Learn for the summer and fall semesters. Please review your course lists and read the Getting Started with Blackboard article. A variety of workshops are being offered to assist with online and remote teaching and campus-supported technologies. A full list of sessions can be found on the Workshop Registration System.

If you need further assistance, please review the Knowledge Base articles or service requests on the IT self-service portal or contact Open SUNY Support Services.

Please join the Professional Development Center for the webinar "Effectively Leading Committees, Teams, and Departments Remotely during Times of Disruption and Ambiguity," presented by Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development, on Wednesday, April 22, from 10:00 a.m. to noon through Blackboard Collaborate. 

This interactive webinar will provide leaders of committees, teams, and departments with strategies to effectively manage projects, engage team members in collaborative work, create flexible structures and systems to align tasks and projects to meet expectations, and support the emotional well-being of team members during times of disruption and ambiguity. Participants will also learn tips, strategies, and tools from each other that can be used to further enhance team performance.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System. 

The Professional Development Center will offer the webinar "Work from Home and Be Home without Work: Striking a Balance between Work Productivity and Life at Home" through Blackboard Collaborate on the following dates and times. Please click on the link of the desired session to register through the Workshop Registration System. 

Session Offerings

• Tuesday, April 21, 12:15–1:15 p.m. 
• Thursday, April 23, 10:00–11:00 a.m. 
• Thursday, April 23, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 28, 10:00–11:00 a.m. 
• Wednesday, April 29, 10:00–11:00 a.m. 

Please contact the Professional Development Center with questions.

The Civic and Community Engagement Office is providing information about ways faculty, staff, and students can be active citizens and support our community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Spread the word about the important services Say Yes Buffalo is continuing to provide to Buffalo’s students and their families. These include

• Legal Clinic call-in line for civil legal needs: (716) 847-0662 ext. 324;
• “Virtual Saturday Academy” activities during school closings;
• family support specialists who are providing home-based case-management services;
• supplying daily needs, e.g., diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, baby food, thermometers, tissues, toilet paper, hand soap, hand sanitizer, napkins, paper towels, Clorox wipes, bleach, additional cleaning supplies, dish soap, bath soap, body wash, laundry detergent, mop buckets, sponges, wash cloths, bath towels, trash bags, pens, pencils, and bottled water. Donations are being accepted to support the basic needs of our families. To donate, e-mail ewyckoff@sayyestoeducation.org.

Please visit the Say Yes website to learn more.

Repair and rehabilitation of elevators in Chase Hall and Ketchum Hall will begin Monday, April 27. This work will require the elevators to be out of service at various times until major components are replaced. Repairs are scheduled to be completed in Chase Hall by May 31 and in Ketchum Hall by June 30.

Schedules for future elevator repairs—in the Savage Theater Arts Building and the Sports Arena—will be provided in the near future. 

Work necessary to maintain safe elevator service is permissible during the state’s suspension of non-essential construction work. We appreciate your understanding as this important rehabilitation project proceeds.

In response to COVID-19, communities across New York state are setting up mutual aid networks where residents can post what they need, or what they are able to do to support others (grocery delivery, pet walking, etc.). The Buffalo Mutual Aid Network is a great site for students in Western New York to find resources and networks, while students in the New York City region can use Mutual Aid NYC.

Deque University is an online digital accessibility training platform that provides comprehensive training on a wide variety of topics including web accessibility, document accessibility, and accessibility testing.

Curriculum
The full curriculum contains more than 30 courses that will be valuable to web developers, content editors, and all faculty and staff members who create materials for web content and instruction.? 

The courses are online and self-paced, and most take 60–90 minutes to complete, although some take as little as 30 minutes or as long as six hours. Courses are designed for a wide range of technical skills from easy to advanced. The introduction page included for each course provides information on the primary intended audience, technical level, suggested prerequisites, and duration.

Courses are arranged into several curricular areas, including Web Accessibility, Document Accessibility, Native Mobile App Accessibility, and Customer Service for People with Disabilities. Courses include quizzes that when successfully completed provide a course certificate.?It is recommended that everyone complete the “Accessibility Fundamentals: Disabilities, Guidelines, and Laws” course first, and then take other courses in their area of interest or expertise.  

Cost 
The cost of the training is covered by SUNY. There is no charge to individuals or departments, and there are no restrictions on the number of users. All Buffalo State faculty and staff members may request access. The full curriculum will be available.?

To request access, please complete the Request for Deque University sign-up form. This information will be provided to Deque on a weekly basis. You will receive a welcome e-mail from Deque with log-on instructions. If you don’t receive an e-mail within one week, please check your spam folder.?

Questions 
Please direct questions regarding Deque University to Sumana Silverheels, technology accommodations coordinator in Student Accessibility Services, and chair of the Campus Accessibility Team.

The Civic and Community Engagement Office is providing information about ways faculty, staff, and students can be active citizens and support our community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Volunteer to support older adults amid the pandemic. Hearts and Hands is looking for volunteers to connect those in need with transportation for medical needs, grocery and essential needs delivery, and friendly phone calls. If you are interested, call (716) 406-8311. Volunteers are reimbursed for mileage and have supplemental insurance coverage through Hearts and Hands. COVID-19 precautions are being observed, and there are opportunities to volunteer from home.

Student spring 2020 Pass/Fail forms with instructions (PDF, 141 KB) can be found on the Registrar’s website. Students can verify that their pass/fail requests have been processed by going into Student Self-Service and checking their spring 2020 Student Detail Schedules.

From the Chair of the College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee
The College Senate will hold elections April 20–24 to fill two at-large College Senate seats, one University Faculty Senate seat, and one alternate University Faculty Senate seat. Voting will begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 20, and continue until 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 24. The College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee will again use an electronic voting system supplemented by paper ballots to conduct the elections.

Our primary goals are to encourage participation in the shared governance of Buffalo State and to share information on each candidate. If you have not already visited the College Senate’s elections information site to review the candidates’ qualifications, please do so.

Voter Eligibility
All full-time academics and professionals (NU = 8; negotiating unit 8)

We urge everyone to vote electronically. Paper ballots will be sent only to voters who request them. 

Electronic Ballot

• Visit the College Senate Elections voting site.
• Log in using your e-mail user name and password.
• When you log in, the system will identify the election(s) in which you are eligible to vote. If you think you have been misidentified or some other issue arises, please contact Slade Gellin, College Senate parliamentarian.
• Please contact Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with general questions.

Paper Ballot
Paper ballots will be sent only to voters who request them. Please e-mail Vince Masci, assistant to the College Senate, to request a paper ballot. Please provide your name and phone number.

Paper ballots will be distributed before or during election week (April 20–24) and must be returned to the Senate Office by 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 24, to be counted.

Thank you for your participation in this year’s election. Please share any feedback, questions, or concerns with Julian Cole, chair of the College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee.