As stated in the president’s announcement to the campus community on March 12, 2020, all college-funded travel, both domestic and international, is generally prohibited until further notice. It is the sole responsibility of the traveler to cancel all current and pending travel arrangements, regardless of the method of payment used. Please be sure to notify Bonnie Heim, director of noncontract procurement, and Mary Taylor, director of accounts payable and travel services, of all cancellations related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Contact Latisha Robinson or Sherrie Manka in the Sponsored Programs Office regarding Research Foundation–sponsor funded travel.

The Civic and Community Engagement Office is working to manage communications and collaborations with community partners during this challenging time. If your students are involved in the community, and your course is not currently on this list (PDF, 153 KB), please contact the Civic and Community Engagement Office this week with your course CRN, community partner names and contact information, and a one-sentence description of what your students are or were doing in the community. Please be flexible to create opportunities for students to create their requirements in creative ways. 

The CCE is reaching out to community partners with a general statement about how this situation will affect the students working with their organizations; however, we also recommend the following:

• Notify your community partners that SUNY has moved all learning to distance-based learning and that students may not be available to continue their collaboration.
• Consider that partners likely have their own plans about COVID-19 that may affect students' ability to complete their projects.
• Communicate with your partners about strategies for community projects to be completed remotely through project-based or indirect activities to meet course requirements and community priorities. Alternatives to discuss with your community partners might include the following:

> Conducting background research or gathering best practices or other information requested the partners.

> Taping, recording, or streaming performances or workshops to benefit community partners.

> Creating digital and other social media content, print program materials, or other methods for information sharing.

> Undertaking assessment, evaluation, or feedback via phone or web-based services;

> Offering (or compiling, researching, or brainstorming) strategies to engage other volunteers remotely as a result of coronavirus.

> Conducting virtual or phone-based educational supports for youth and adults. Zoom, FreeConferenceCall.com, or other platforms may be helpful.

Of course, alternative academic assignments may also be developed if these recommendations are not feasible for your course or community partners. Please communicate with your partners as appropriate.

Let us know if you want to talk through options for adjusting your community engaged learning class.

The electronics recycling event scheduled for March 23 has been postponed until later this summer or fall. More information to come once the event has been rescheduled.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Please join us for a free screening and panel discussion of the new film 67: Buffalo Uprising, on Friday, March 13, at 7:00 p.m. in Upton Hall 230. This one-hour film explores Buffalo's three-day urban uprising during the long, hot summer of 1967 using found and archival footage and interviews. A discussion will follow with filmmaker Doug Ruffin, hosted and moderated by assistant professor Dorothea Braemer and professor Michael Niman. The event, co-sponsored by the Buffalo State College Communication Department and the WNY Peace Center, is free and open to the public.

Please join us for a free screening and panel discussion of the new film 67: Buffalo Uprising, on Friday, March 13, at 7:00 p.m. in Upton Hall 230. This one-hour film explores Buffalo's three-day urban uprising during the long, hot summer of 1967 using found and archival footage and interviews. A discussion will follow with filmmaker Doug Ruffin, hosted and moderated by assistant professor Dorothea Braemer and professor Michael Niman. The event, co-sponsored by the Buffalo State College Communication Department and the WNY Peace Center, is free and open to the public.

From the Chair of the College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee
Two at-large College Senate positions, one University Faculty Senate position, and one University Faculty Senate alternate position will become vacant on August 31, 2020. All full-time faculty and professional staff members are eligible to run for these seats provided they meet other eligibility requirements (see below).

At-large senators represent the entirety of the college. University Faculty senators are senators within both the Buffalo State College Senate and the SUNY University Faculty Senate. The alternate attends SUNY University Faculty Senate meetings only in the absence of the university faculty senator.

A call for nominations and information about candidates’ statements will be posted on the College Senate website. The call for nominations begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 13, and continues through 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 17. Elections for these positions will run from 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 20, to 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 24.

Senate elections conducted by the schools of Arts and Humanities, Education, Natural and Social Sciences, and the Professions as well as the Professional Staff Caucus (PSC) should be concluded before the College Senate election cycle (April 20).

Eligibility: Current College Senate members who are completing two consecutive terms in their respective positions are not eligible for reelection. For additional information on eligibility requirements, please consult the College Senate bylaws.

Campaigning: The College Senate Elections and Bylaws Committee strongly discourages using college e-mail services for campaigning. Please limit campaigning to the candidate statement posted on the College Senate website, available to the college community on Monday, April 20.

Please note: Individuals running for a senator position in another election may not also run for at-large senator or university faculty senator positions while the other election is being conducted. If the other election concludes during the period when nominations for at-large or university faculty senator are still being accepted, eligible individuals may self-nominate for either position.

If you are interested in being a candidate, please contact Vince Masci, assistant to the College Senate, 878-5139. We look forward to your participation in the vital process of campus governance.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next meeting of the College Senate for spring 2020 will be held tomorrow, March 13, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 217. The meeting agenda is posted on the College Senate website. All information pertaining to the College Senate is available on the website, including the complete Senate roster and spring meeting schedule as well as all meeting podcasts, reports, and minutes. Please contact Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, 878-5139, with questions.

Registration is now open for the 37th annual Bengal Club Golf Tournament on Monday, June 22, at the beautiful Glen Oak Golf Course in Amherst. It's a terrific day of fun, food, and golf—all in support of Buffalo State's 400 student-athletes and their programs. The day begins at 10:00 a.m. with registration, a welcoming gift, and full use of Glen Oak's expansive practice range and putting green. Golfers will then enjoy a delicious chicken-and-rib lunch, courtesy of corporate partner BW's Barbeque, full use of locker rooms, golf with cart, and a cocktail reception with auctions followed by dinner and awards. Participants will also enjoy on-course "fuel" from a number of Athletics Department corporate partners including Ilio DiPaolo's and Zweigle's. Online registration is easy. Please visit the Buffalo State Athletics website or contact Tom Koller, senior associate athletics director, 878-6514, for more information.

NYS employees who contributed to a Flex Spending Account (FSA) in 2019 must submit all unpaid claims on or before Tuesday, March 31, for all qualifying expenses incurred by December 31, 2019. Employees who fail to submit appropriate receipts for any unused funds by the March deadline date will forfeit such contributions and will not receive reimbursement or credit.

To avoid the rush for reimbursement, please mail all 2019 FSA claims along with receipts as soon as possible to

WageWorks
PO Box 14766
Lexington, KY 40512-4766

Reimbursement claims may also be faxed to (800) 743-3271 or submitted online at www.myFBMC.com.

To download claim forms or other documents for Health Care Spending and Dependent Care, please visit the Governor's Office of Employee Relations website.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED

Buffalo State community members can get free museum admission to West Side Promise Neighborhood (WSPN) partner Explore and More Children's Museum on Friday, March 27, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. RSVP required.

This event will be hosted by WSPN and is aimed at supporting community members and their children and families access the museum. Please join us in experiencing this wonderful new community asset. WSPN is a hyperlocal consortium convened by Buffalo State focused on community capacity building in Buffalo's West Side.

If you are interested in attending, please e-mail the Civic and Community Engagement Office.