The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System will hold its fall 2019 Pension and Retirement Education Program (PREP) seminars on Wednesday, November 20, and Thursday, December 5, at Erie 1 BOCES, 355 Harlem Road, West Seneca.

The seminar will include information on NYSTRS benefits; financial planning; Social Security; estate planning; retirement: a new beginning; and the retirement process.

The seminar will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. PREP seminars are free, and spouses and partners may also attend, but advance registration is required. Seminars fill up quickly, so book early. Visit NYSTRS.org using your My NYSTRS account ("my tools" tab) or call (800) 348-7298, ext. 6180, to register. When calling, you must provide your Employee ID or Social Security number, e-mail address, and phone number. 

Please note: Seminars are not designed for one-on-one retirement counseling. Individual benefits consultations may be scheduled year-round online or by phone through NYSTRS.

The Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) requests proposals from individuals, departments, and student clubs and organizations for funding of programs, speakers, and events to take place during the 2019–2020 academic year.

The deadlines for submitting applications under this funding cycle are Friday, September 27, for fall 2019 and spring 2020 program proposals; and Friday, November 15, for spring 2020 program proposals. Applications for funding and complete details of requirements may be found on the Student Affairs website. All proposals must be submitted electronically to marzolkl@buffalostate.edu, with one hard copy delivered to Cleveland Hall 513.

Questions about the GAC may be addressed to Kathy Marzolf, secretary 2, 878-4704.

VOYA will present "What's Your Game Plan for the Potential Bear Market?" on Thursday, September 26, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 418. Advance registration is required. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Molly Pecoraro, 626-3928, to make a reservation.

Employees may update their phone numbers, home addresses, and emergency contacts and view their legal name, demographics, and education information in the SUNY System Administration’s Human Resources Self-Service Module.

Employees are encouraged to review their records annually to ensure that their information is accurate and up to date. If a change is necessary, it may be requested via the Self-Service Module. A user guide is available to assist employees in accessing and using the Self-Service Module. Home address and legal name changes may also be requested by completing the paper form. Campus directory updates may be requested using the paper or online Directory Add/Update Form. Departments with multiple directory edits for their staff members may e-mail a list of the changes to Katherine Tiffany, office assistant 1 (keyboarding), in Human Resource Management.

Please call Human Resource Management at 878-4822 or e-mail Katherine Tiffany with questions.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is conducting a survey to gauge Buffalo State employee interest in a possible new program that would offer NFTA Metro monthly passes, regularly priced at $75, to faculty and staff members for $55 (pre-tax payroll deduction). Please complete this survey by Friday, October 4, to indicate your level of interest. Data will go directly to the NFTA.

More information on current NFTA Metro programs is available on the Finance and Management website.

Please tell students about the Weigel Wellness Self-Care Series, presented twice a month in the Campbell Student Union Fireside Lounge. Students often feel stressed and overwhelmed, which can affect their sleep, their ability to manage their time, and their overall health and academic success. This series aims to support students in developing self-care skills by giving them the opportunity to try a self-care activity and participate in a discussion around self-care. 

This week's session, Journaling, will be held on Friday, September 20, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

The following topics are also scheduled this semester:

Worry Rocks/Stress Balls
Tuesday, October 1, 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Mandalas/Coloring
Monday, November 4, 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Meditation/Breathing
Wednesday, November 20, 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Please direct questions to Ashley Maracle, senior counselor in the Weigel Wellness Center, 878-4436. 

Please join us for a scholarly conversation about how to become a student-ready campus on Friday, September 27, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Chase Hall 109. We will discuss chapter 2 of the book Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success, by Tia Brown McNair, Susan Albertine, Michelle Asha Cooper, Nicole McDonald, and Thomas Major Jr. (2016). The book can be retrieved from Butler Library's collection. 

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

The Student Business INC.ubator will host its fall semester launch today, September 17, during Bengal Pause (12:15 to 1:15 p.m.) in Buckham Hall A107. The INC.ubator, managed by the School of the Professions’ Small Business Development Center, offers students entrepreneurial training, an opportunity to meet local business owners, and a chance to participate in the New York State Business Plan Competition in the spring. Ongoing meetings will take place every Thursday throughout the semester. All Buffalo State students are welcome to join the INC.ubator and attend its weekly meetings. Discussion topics throughout the academic year will include leadership, management, creative problem solving, risk taking, and strategic planning. Joining the INC.ubator is an outstanding opportunity for students to discover what it means to be an entrepreneur and how to become one. For more information please contact Karina Loera, business adviser, 878-4030.

The Dean of Students Office and the Weigel Wellness Center are proud to announce Prevention Education Week from September 23 to 27, starting with a Health Fair kickoff event on Monday, September 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union lobby. The goal of the week is to provide all Buffalo State students with education, awareness, and prevention services regarding responsible student decision making toward health, wellness, and safety. A variety of programs will be offered focusing on relationship, physical, mental health, community, and personal safety wellness. For a complete list of events, please visit the Dean of Students website.

Clausell Mathis, M.S., Ph.D. candidate, Florida State University, School of Teacher Education, will present a study on the intersection of students’ culture with physics ideas on Thursday, September 26, at 12:15 p.m. in Bacon Hall 305 (repeated at 4:00 p.m.* in Science and Mathematics Complex 106). Mathis's talk will specifically address the dilemmas a select physics teacher navigates as she develops and attempts to enact a culturally relevant approach to physics instruction. The setting for Mathis was a Title 1 school in the Southeastern United States with a majority African American population. Mathis employed a qualitative case study approach, examining the dilemmas Sarah experienced as she developed and enacted the culturally relevant curricula in the classroom while using the Next Generation Science Standards. Findings show that the teacher showed the strongest indicators of culturally relevant pedagogy through her willingness to address sensitive topics, consistent encouragement of students toward academic excellence, and the ability to adapt curricula to students' strengths. 

*One hour of NYSED Professional Development credit is available to K–12 teachers attending the evening session.