Representatives from Buffalo State's health insurance providers—the Empire Plan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Independent Health—will be on campus for the annual NYS Employee Health Benefits Fair on Tuesday, December 3, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Campbell Student Union Assembly Halls 1 and 2.

Representatives will be available 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 find helpful information on tobacco cessation from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, all free of charge.

Meet our EAP coordinators and obtain helpful information regarding our Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-8421 with questions, and please stop by our Benefits Fair on December 3.

The Buffalo State College Literacy Center, located in Bacon Hall 227, offers free one-on-one literacy tutoring (strategy instruction) for children (grades K–12) of Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Sessions are on Mondays or Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:45 p.m. There are eight sessions and one parent conference. Sessions begin in February. Please e-mail Keli Garas-York, associate professor of elementary education, literacy, and educational leadership, to register.

Weigel Health Promotions will present a Sex Ed 101 workshop on Thursday, December 5, at 2:30 p.m. in Bacon Hall 202. Please contact Paula Madrigal, assistant director of prevention and health promotion, 878-4719, for more information.

The Buffalo State Alumni Association and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company will offer a defensive driving course for Buffalo State faculty, staff, alumni, and students on Saturday, December 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 113.

Save money on your auto insurance by taking this class offered through Liberty Mutual. Friends and relatives are also welcome if accompanied by a faculty or staff member, alumnus, or student. The discount is 10 percent off liability insurance in New York State, regardless of one’s auto insurance provider; this course will also remove points from your driver’s license. The cost of the class is $25 per person.

Attendees should park in Lot R-2 or along Rockwell Road and enter Ketchum Hall through the door on the west side of the building (across from Moot Hall).

To enroll, please call Damien Lawrence, Buffalo State’s local representative, at (716) 984-9111. The registration deadline for this class is Wednesday, December 4.  

The west entrance to Butler Library (from the Student Union Plaza) will be closed from Monday, November 25, through Monday, December 2, to accommodate ongoing renovations. Signage will direct visitors to the library's south (StudyQuad) entrance during this period.

Questions about this project may be directed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu. Thank you for your patience as this renovation proceeds.

The Institute for Community Health Promotion (ICHP) is accepting donations for the U.S. Marine Corps' 2019 Toys for Tots campaign. Please bring new, unwrapped toys to either ICHP location: the Center for Health and Social Research (CHSR) in Classroom Building A203 or Learning, Engagement, and Development Services (LEADS) in Bacon Hall 114. We will collect toys now through Thursday, December 12. Donation boxes will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The mission of the Toys for Tots program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources—our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

ICHP is once again proud to support this worthy cause. Last year, we collected about 150 toys. Let's see if we can beat this mark! For more information, please contact CHSR senior program coordinator Rob Skutnik, 878-6137; or ICHP administrative assistant Lenore McLaurin, 878-4853.

Thanks for your support!

The Faculty-Student Association (FSA) is now accepting applications for the 2020 grant cycle. FSA grants are awarded by the FSA board of directors to fund programs that will promote and cultivate educational and extracurricular activities on the Buffalo State campus. All student groups and faculty are welcome to apply. Please visit the "Applying for a Grant" section for the application and guidelines.

The application deadline for the 2020 grant cycle is Sunday, December 1. For further information, please contact Hope Dunbar, executive director of the FSA.

Join the Burchfield Penney for our annual Art Is a Gift Holiday Art and Gift Sale December 6–8. More than 50 Western New York artists will be part of this very special three-day event!

Friday, December 6: Noon–8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 7, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 8, 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The event is free.

Participating artists:

Andrea Pawarski, Andrea Pawarski Ceramics
Robin Lenhard, Aremel Soaps
Catherine, O’Connor, Arteffectsglass
Tina Hirschbeck, At 88 Textile Designs
Paul Morgan, Avalon
Lynn Huetter, Bama Cutting Boards
Nancy Hesketh, Banyon Bags
Barbara Rickard, Paintress
Billy Prendergast, Billy Prendergast Designs
Paula Damico, Blessings by Nature
Eta Rottenberg, Buffalo Roots
Dayna Banka-Slone, By Dayna
Beverly Speller, Colorworks and Design Studio
Diana Storm, Diana Storm Jewelry
Constance Krueger, Different by Design
Donna Angelo, dna jewelry designs
Kristen Horn, Dognanny Originals
Junko McGee, Earth Art
Evette Slaughter, Evette Slaughter Studio
Elaine Kessel, Fotografix
Frani Evedon, Frani Evedon Fine Art Photography
Gretchen Cole, Gretchen Cole Jewelry
Chary Robbins, Illusions - 3rd Eye Productions
Deborah Petronio, Imaginaries
Danielle Iris, Planter Iris Planter
Cheryl Perez, Jewelrybeyondthesea
Joshua Fraass, jf.vintage
Jayne Hughes, Joyfulenergy Jewelry
Katharine Mallaber-Prestia, Katie Mallaber Ceramics
Kristin Fundalinski, Kris Art Glass
Barbara Hart, Little Wood People
Lynn Schwab, Lynn Schwab Jewelry
Mandy Ranck, Mandy Ranck Ceramics
Mario Santilli, Mario D. Santilli, Woodworker
Marleah Doherty, Mia’s Studio
Linda Collignon, Raveloe Fibers
Shaun Silverwood Road Kiln
Rosanna Cappellino, Rosanna’s Art Clay
Sarah Blackman Jewelry Design
Sarah Kieffer Designs
Patricia Hutton, SewREDI Buffalo
Mary Cotton, The Art Barn
Catherine Southwick, The Sparkwork Studio
Tom Burns, Tom Burns Photography
Julie Bridge, White Crab Soap Co.
Michelle Collins, Wise Woman Designs
Suzanne O'Brien, ZanieCrafts
Jackie LoVullo, Zenjoy

RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends.

From the Chair of the College Senate
Constituent questions (CQs) sent in advance to the College Senate chair are answered at each Senate meeting. There has been an abundance of advance CQs recently, so we ask everyone to listen to the Senate podcast for the complete and direct answers. All podcasts are posted on the Senate website. Responses to the eight CQs raised at the most recent (November 8) Senate meeting begin at 00:08:17 in the podcast. If you have an important or urgent campus-related CQ, please send it to the senator representing your unit or school (PDF, 200 KB). Senators will forward CQs to the Senate chair or the Senate Office.

From the Chair of the College Senate
University Faculty President Gwen Kay will visit Buffalo State College on Thursday and Friday, December 12 and 13, to meet with College Senate administration, campus governance leaders, and committee chairs. President Kay will attend the final fall Senate meeting on Friday, December 13, at 2:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 215. Please note the one hour earlier start time. The meeting agenda will be posted on the College Senate website on December 5.