The New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education (NYSED-OTI), has issued Buffalo State College a limited number of e-vouchers (electronic vouchers) to be distributed to students to help defray the cost of the registration fees for the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE). There are two different voucher types: one for the EAS and one for the CST. Students should check their Buffalo State e-mail accounts and the Teacher Certification Office website for eligibility requirements, directions, and the application.

Because of the high-wind watch issued by the National Weather Service for Wednesday, November 27, please ensure that windows are closed when you leave for the day on Tuesday, and be mindful on Wednesday when opening or closing outside entrance doors to be certain that they re-latch. Please call Facilities Construction and Maintenance at 878-6111 with questions. Thank you.

The Student Conduct and Community Standards Office is seeking volunteers to serve as members of the Student Conduct Board. The Student Conduct Board consists of volunteer members of the campus community who are current faculty members, staff members, or students. Board members hear cases of code violations on a rotating basis.

If you are interested in serving as a board member, please complete and submit the Conduct Board Application form (faculty/staff or student) on the Student Conduct website by Friday, December 13.

Please call the Student Conduct and Community Standards Office at 878-3051 with questions.

The call for proposals closes December 1 for "Reimagining Civics Education for a Better 21st Century," a full-day summit designed for area students, educators, and policymakers to discuss the importance and revival of teaching civics in P–12 schools, on Monday, January 13, 2020, at Buffalo State College.

Hosted by Buffalo State's School of Education in collaboration with 1st Amendment-1st Vote Inc. and the Erie County Office of Public Advocacy, the summit will include consecutive morning sessions, a keynote speaker, afternoon roundtable sessions, and a final panel conversation with invited government and school officials entertaining questions developed at the prior sessions. The summit was called to honor the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States.

Proposals are invited for one or several of the following thematic strands. Proposals must be submitted online by Sunday, December 1. More information is available on the School of Education website.

Thematic Strands

1. Revitalizing and reimagining civics education for the twenty-first century
2. Full participation and leadership in the political process (advocacy and organizing)
3. Lessons from the field
4. The intersection of the civil rights movement with the women’s suffrage movement in the United States (unpacking social movements)
5. Translating civics education content into classroom practice and pedagogy

Please mark your calendars for the 23rd annual Student Art Sale in Upton Hall's Czurles-Nelson Gallery on Wednesday, December 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Watch for details!

Please stop by the NYS Employee Annual Health Benefits Fair today, December 3, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Campbell Student Union Assembly Halls 1 and 2. Representatives from the Empire Plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Independent Health will be on hand to answer questions regarding employees' current health insurance plans and changes in coverage for 2020. Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees with making changes to health insurance coverage. This is an opportunity to ensure that you are enrolled in the health insurance plan that is best for you and your family. 

Information on dental and vision benefits will also be available. Attendees can have their blood pressure checked, learn the benefits of and sample massage therapy, learn about the Weight Watchers program, and obtain helpful information on tobacco cessation from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, all free of charge.

EAP coordinators will be there as well with helpful information regarding our Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-4821 with any questions, and please visit us at our Benefits Fair tomorrow.

Please mark your calendars for our end-of-semester Bengal Study Night on Wednesday, December 4, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. in Rockwell Hall. Ready up and relax for finals! The evening will feature final exam reviews; math and writing tutoring; complimentary pizza, veggies, drinks, donuts, and coffee; finals survival kits; relaxation activities; games; and therapy dogs. Details are available online. Please contact Lauren Copeland, coordinator of tutoring services, with questions.

Sponsored by the Academic Commons, Student Achievement Programs, and the Educational Opportunity Program.

Please stop by the NYS Employee Annual Health Benefits Fair tomorrow, December 3, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Campbell Student Union Assembly Halls 1 and 2. Representatives from the Empire Plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Independent Health will be on hand to answer questions regarding employees' current health insurance plans and changes in coverage for 2020. Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees with making changes to health insurance coverage. This is an opportunity to ensure that you are enrolled in the health insurance plan that is best for you and your family. 

Information on dental and vision benefits will also be available. Attendees can have their blood pressure checked, learn the benefits of and sample massage therapy, learn about the Weight Watchers program, and obtain helpful information on tobacco cessation from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, all free of charge.

EAP coordinators will be there as well, with helpful information regarding our Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-4821 with any questions, and please visit us at our Benefits Fair tomorrow.

An open training session for Slate, the college’s new enterprise customer relationship management (CRM) system, will be offered for graduate faculty members and department representatives involved in the Slate application review process on Tuesday, November 26, at 2:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 122. Space is limited to 10 attendees; therefore, please register in advance. Please register through the Workshop Registration System. To set up Slate training for a department, or if you have other Slate-related questions, please contact Lee Coletti, interim admissions coordinator. 

The WNY Service Learning Coalition invites proposals for its half-day symposium, "Embrace Your Impact: Collaborations of Passion, Knowledge, and Action," on Friday, March 6, 2020, at Hilbert College in Hamburg, New York.

Fifty-minute workshop proposals from service-learning or community-engaged faculty, staff, and community practitioners should respond to or share models related to the following questions:

• How can we use our passions to better collaborate and make an impact in the community?
• What is the depth of the passion, knowledge, and action that goes into creating a mutually beneficial experience in the community?
• How can colleges and universities design initiatives to ensure their community impact is positive and collaborative?

Proposals are due by Wednesday, January 15. More information and submission instructions can be found on the WNY Service Learning Coalition website. Please contact Rachel Wozniak, director of service learning and community engagement at Hilbert College, with questions.