Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Linking Behavior and Biodiversity in Birds," presented by Daniel Baldassarre, assistant professor of zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences at SUNY Oswego, today, March 6, from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. All students, staff, and faculty are welcome.

Abstract
I am interested in animal behavior and biodiversity, and especially love studying birds. To study avian biodiversity, I focus on small populations of birds and look for connections between unusual behaviors and broad-scale patterns. For example, how does the promiscuous sexual behavior of subspecies of the Australian red-backed fairy-wren affect whether or not they will interbreed? Does the Galápagos vampire finch’s bizarre habit of drinking blood mean it is on a trajectory to become a new species? In the southwestern United States, is the phainopepla really two cryptic species that breed in different locations at different times of the year?

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Linking Behavior and Biodiversity in Birds," presented by Daniel Baldassarre, assistant professor of zoology in the Department of Biological Sciences at SUNY Oswego, on Friday, March 6, from 2:00 to 2:50 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. All students, staff, and faculty are welcome.

Abstract
I am interested in animal behavior and biodiversity, and especially love studying birds. To study avian biodiversity, I focus on small populations of birds and look for connections between unusual behaviors and broad-scale patterns. For example, how does the promiscuous sexual behavior of subspecies of the Australian red-backed fairy-wren affect whether or not they will interbreed? Does the Galápagos vampire finch’s bizarre habit of drinking blood mean it is on a trajectory to become a new species? In the southwestern United States, is the phainopepla really two cryptic species that breed in different locations at different times of the year?

Please submit your Course Material Adoptions for summer 2020 and fall 2020 to the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore by Friday, March 20, through Faculty Enlight or by e-mail to bookstore manager Lynn Puma.

Did you know that the information you provide the bookstore keeps the college in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act?

Students are able to access their course materials information through Banner and Blackboard, as our website information is directly linked to their individual schedules. Students can use this information to budget expenses, shop and compare prices, and be ready for a successful semester. This access gives ISBN information and pricing for new, used, rental, and digital formats.  

We started this semester with only 75 percent of the course material information in our system. Students were forced to wait until the late orders arrived, putting them behind from the start. Late adoptions also mean less availability of used materials, and can cause out-of-stock situations. Let's help our students succeed by having all course materials ready and available next semester. Please submit your Course Material Adoptions by March 20. Thank you.

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.

Today's the day! Our brand-new fully licensed Starbucks opens today in Butler Library. Stop on by.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Come and join the conversation during this Teaching and Learning Center workshop, “Getting Back on Track: Helping Students Move from Academic Risk to Academic Success,” on Tuesday, April 7, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. Presented by Aimee Woznick and Sara Reese, director and assistant director of the Academic Commons.

Students who lose good academic standing are often most at risk of departing from the college before they earn a degree. When a student falls into academic warning or academic probation, it can be discouraging and disorienting both for the student and for his or her academic adviser. In this workshop, participants will learn about the myriad factors that cause students to lose good academic standing and how to motivate students to get back on track to realize their potential, whatever their unique circumstances. We will discuss how to approach challenging conversations on topics like losing (and potentially regaining) financial aid eligibility and how to help students navigate complex policies so they can get back in good shape. Advisers will also come away with a few simple but critical strategies they can implement right away to help students make difficult academic, professional, and life choices—even when it seems there are no good choices. 

Please register through the Workshop Management System.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next meeting of the College Senate for spring 2020 will be held Friday, March 13, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 217. The available reports and podcast of the February 14 Senate meeting are now posted on the Senate website. The agenda for the March 13 meeting will be posted on March 6.

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.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Come and join the conversation during this Teaching and Learning Center Workshop, "An Introduction to the Institutional Review Board at Buffalo State College," on Thursday, April 2, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. Presented by Jill Norvilitis, professor of psychology, and Gina Game, research compliance manager.

Before the review process, researchers must be sure that their project is, in fact, research with human participants as defined by the federal government. To qualify as research with human participants, the following must be true: (1) The participants must be living. Thus, oral history projects fall under the guidelines, but research involving diaries kept in the 1800s does not. (2) The project is a systematic investigation; that is, it is designed to be a study. For example, instances in classrooms where teachers ask students’ opinions on the material to gauge progress are not research; however, if that same teacher designs a study to evaluate two methods of teaching the material to see which is more effective, this would be research if the third criterion is met. (3) The project is designed to contribute to the generalized knowledge. To qualify as research, the person conducting the project must intend for it to be disseminated at some level.

On our campus, we also review student projects that may not be disseminated but that meet the first two criteria so that our students will learn the process of research with human participants and because we have contracted with the federal government to do so.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Come and join the conversation during the workshop “Lightening the Paper Load: Responding to Student Writing Effectively and Efficiently” on Friday, March 6, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m in Butler Library 314. Presented by Maggie Herb, assistant professor of English and director of the Writing Center. 

It’s nearly midnight; you have 15 more papers to read, and your red pen is running out of ink. Don’t despair! Come to this workshop to learn strategies to manage your paper load more efficiently—while at the same time giving your students focused, meaningful feedback that they can understand and apply. 

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Come and join the conversation during this Teaching and Learning Center workshop, "Managing Disruptive and Concerning Behavior in Classrooms," on Tuesday, March 17, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. Presented by the associate deans, the dean of students, and other Care Team members.

This workshop will provide tips for handling disruption, discuss the role of the syllabus in setting expectations, identify resources for support and assistance, and respond to questions or concerns. Members of the Care Team will be available to share information on how the team can partner with faculty members to intervene in cases of disruptive and concerning students in order to provide support for students and to keep our community safe.

Please register through the Workshop Management System.