The 22nd annual Buffalo State Student Research and Creativity Conference will take place as Digital SRCC 2020 on an asynchronous platform open to the campus community. Online representations of research and creative projects in poster; oral presentation; or film, performance, video, or artwork slideshow formats are cordially welcome from undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines. The SRCC 2020 program with student abstracts and artist statements will be posted on the Undergraduate Research Office website, and poster printing will be made available on an optional basis to presenters at a discounted rate. The student deadline for e-applications is 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, and mandatory faculty mentor approval is due by 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 3. For more information and the e-application portal, please visit the SRCC web page.

The Empire Plan is doing all it can to support its enrollees through this unprecedented time and has introduced a new telehealth benefit to help them access health-care services remotely. LiveHealth Online lets enrollees visit with a board-certified doctor or licensed therapist by video on their smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.

If enrollees are concerned about leaving their homes to receive medical care or are concerned about their ability to access care, the Empire Plan will cover telehealth visits at no cost. Please download the flier (PDF, 1.1 MB) for additional information and step-by-step instructions to register. Enrollees who are already registered can log in to the Empire Plan website to get a coupon code to cover the full cost of their LiveHealth Online visit. For additional assistance, enrollees are encouraged to call the Empire Plan at (877) 7-NYSHIP (877-769-7447) and select option 2 for the Hospital Program. Note: A postcard regarding this new benefit will also be mailed to enrollees in the coming week.

Students are asking how to access texts they may still need and about the process for returning books they rented this semester. Students should be in no rush to return their rented books at this time. Book rentals are not due for return until May 14. The Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore has a program in place that allows students to ship books back to the bookstore using a prepaid UPS label. Information on this will be forthcoming in their end-of-semester reminder e-mails and on the bookstore website.

With regard to needed textbooks, many of the major publishers and university presses have worked with Vital Source to provide students with free digital textbooks. 

Students can access this program at bookshelf.vitalsource.com.

Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to access free e-books as part of VitalSource Helps:

1. Attend a two-year or four-year institution on a semester academic calendar (Buffalo State College qualifies)
2. Be enrolled in a course or courses that began before March 16, 2020
3. Use an institution-provided e-mail address

Before they can begin searching for and reading e-books, students must create a Bookshelf account with their institution-provided e-mail address and log in each time they use the account.

Please e-mail bookstore manager Lynn Puma with questions.

Keep your financial goals on track with TIAA live webinars. Reserve your spot today at TIAA.org/webinars.

Tuesday, April 14

• Noon: Tax Planning in 2020
• 3:00 p.m.: The Starting Line: Why and How Retirement Savings Begin

Wednesday, April 15

• Noon: Quarterly Economic and Market Update

Thursday, April 16

• Noon: Understanding Medicare
• 3:00 p.m.: Looking to Turn Your Retirement Savings into a “Paycheck” for Life?

The deadline for submitting claims for 2019 Dependent Care Accounts and Health Care Spending Accounts has been extended to Thursday, April 30.

Because of the tax advantages of the Flex-Spending Account (FSA), the Internal Revenue Service has strict guidelines for its use, including what is commonly known as the “use it or lose it” rule. Simply put, employees who contribute pre-tax dollars to their FSA accounts in excess of eligible expenses during the plan year, or those who fail to submit claims in a timely manner, lose the balance remaining in their accounts. Enrolled 2019 participants have until April 30 to submit any eligible unreimbursed expenses from the 2019 plan year.

For information or assistance on how to submit a claim, visit the Flex Spending Claims Process web page or call (800) 358-7202.

Student Leadership and Engagement is involved in many of the events on campus, and we are looking for innovative, hardworking students to join our team for the 2020-2021 academic year. If you know of any individuals who are interested in event planning, marketing, and creative thinking, please encourage them to apply. This is a paid opportunity to gain real-world experience, develop leadership skills, and connect with the campus community.

The Campus Activities Board is an innovative team-oriented group that is able to work in the fast-paced environment of campus activities. CAB members provide support and assist in monitoring Student Leadership and Engagement’s programming and marketing efforts, Bengal Pause, and evening and weekend activities.

The application and additional information are available on the Student Leadership and Engagement website.

Please e-mail Mason Meiler, programming coordinator, with questions.

As we transition to a remote learning environment, here are a few tips for making your content accessible and helping you provide disability accommodations for your students. 

1. Student Accessibility Services is operating remotely and will not be available to proctor tests. Faculty members, please visit Test Availability Exceptions to learn how to use extended time in Blackboard. Additionally, please visit the Student Accessibility Services website or e-mail sas@buffalostate.edu for non-testing-related accommodation questions.
2. Use Blackboard Ally to help make sure your course materials are accessible.
3. Are you using videos? Please use these tools for video captions.

It is more important than ever that courses and materials are accessible. Please reach out to Student Accessibility Services and use the information provided on the Academic Continuity website to assist you.

In light of the current circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program annual Honors Convocation scheduled for Thursday, May 7, has been canceled. We will, however, honor our students virtually at a later time to celebrate their exemplary academic performance. Highlights of their achievements will be posted and shared. Stay safe, be healthy, and continue working hard.

The spring 2020 midterm grading window closes today, April 6, at 9:00 p.m.

The Civic and Community Engagement Office is providing information about ways that faculty, staff, and students can be active citizens and support our community partners during the coronavirus pandemic. One local small business, TreeHouse Toy Store on Elmwood Avenue, is teaming up with one of our most influential nonprofit organizations, Say Yes Buffalo. You can buy a brand-new activity, game, puzzle, workbook, or toy from TreeHouse Toy Store online, and a Say Yes Buffalo team will deliver your gift directly to a family in great need.

Say Yes Buffalo supports more than 500 families in Buffalo (more than 700 children ranging in age from newborn to 18). Say Yes is seeking brand-new items to be delivered to these children by its teams. Say Yes Buffalo continues to conduct home visits safely in order to provide much-needed support to these families during this extremely stressful time.