Please call the Open SUNY HelpDesk at (844) 673-6786 or submit a request online to the Open SUNY HelpDesk with any questions about Blackboard. You can also find answers to common Blackboard questions using the following resources:

• IT Portal Blackboard Knowledge Base
• Blackboard Help for Instructors

If the Open SUNY HelpDesk is unable to address your questions related to Blackboard, such as merging course enrollments, please open a ticket in the IT portal.

From the Chair of the College Senate
Reports to the College Senate are posted on the College Senate website. The most recent reports are from the May 10, 2019, Senate meeting.

Podcasts serve as the official audio record of each College Senate meeting. If you missed a Senate meeting and want to catch up, podcasts are posted to the Senate's podcasts web page. Senate meeting summaries are posted to the website after they are presented to the Senate.

The College Senate Office thanks all those who submitted Standing Committee Interest Forms for 2019–2020. The information has been forwarded to the appropriate committee chairs. Committee chairs who need members will directly contact those who have expressed an interest in serving. The Senate Office does not officiate over committee memberships. Please contact the respective committee chair with questions:

Academic Plan Committee Chair
Jason Grinnell, Chair and Associate Professor of Philosophy

Budget and Staff Allocations Committee Chair
Ted Schmidt, Professor of Economics and Finance

Bylaws and Elections Committee Chair
Julian Cole, Associate Professor of Philosophy

Curriculum Committee Chair
Bhakti Sharma, Associate Professor of Interior Design

Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee Chair
Maria Brickhouse, Coordinator of the Academic Center of Excellence, Educational Opportunity Program

Instruction and Research Committee Chair
Arlesa Shephard, Associate Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology

Standards for Students Committee Chair
Marguerite “Meg” Knowles, Associate Professor of Communication

Student Welfare Committee Vice Chair*
Steve Macho, Associate Professor, Career and Technical Education

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*The Student Welfare Committee chair is a student senator who works with the vice chair.

From the Chair of the College Senate
College Senate meetings for the 2019–2020 academic year will be held on the following dates:

Fall 2019
September 13  |  3:00 p.m.  |  Bulger Communication Center 423
October 11  |  3:00 p.m.  |  Bulger Communication Center 423
November 8  |  3:00 p.m.  |  Bulger Communication Center 423
December 13  |  2:00 p.m.  |  Bulger Communication Center 215

Spring 2020 (location TBA early fall)
February 14  |  3:00 p.m.  
March 13  |  3:00 p.m.
April 10  |  3:00 p.m.  
May 8  |  2:00 p.m.

The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211. Joseph Marren, professor of communication, serves as chair of the College Senate for the 2019–2020 academic year. Please stop by the office, call 878-5139, or e-mail Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with questions or for general information.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The first College Senate meeting of the 2019–2020 academic year will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, September 13, in Bulger Communication Center 423 (second level). The College Senate meeting schedule will be posted on the College Senate website. New Senator Orientation for newly elected senators will be held Thursday, September 5, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in the Grande Conference Room, Cleveland Hall 418. Please direct questions to Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, 878-5139. The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211.

Several generally scheduled smart classrooms have been upgraded this summer. As part of these upgrades, console keys are no longer needed for any generally scheduled classroom with the exception of Buckham Hall A200, A202, A214, and A233. If you are teaching in one of these four classrooms and need a console key issued to you, please call Classroom Support at 878-6670 before your first class to reserve a key.

For more information, please see the IT Knowledge Base article "Where Can I Obtain a Key for My Classroom Console?"

Members of the campus community are cordially invited to a retirement celebration for Mary Wilson, program coordinator with the Buffalo State Child Care Center, on Thursday, August 29, at 4:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A114.

Ms. Wilson has worked at Buffalo State since 1987. Throughout her tenure, she has been a tireless advocate for children and best practice in child care centers. She received the Dorothy B. Millard Award from the Child Care Resource Network in 2006 and the SUNY Early Care and Education Leaders (SEEL) Marcia Brady Excellence in Child Care Award in 2019.

Those planing to attend are asked to RSVP by e-mail by Tuesday, August 27.

Welcome back!

Desktop and laptop PC (Windows) users: If you use a PC running the Windows operating system and have not used it throughout the summer months, your computer will likely download and install Microsoft updates when you turn it on and sign in. You won’t be able to use the computer until the updates are installed. Depending on when you last used your desktop or laptop PC, this could take a significant amount of time (5-10 minutes).

Desktop and laptop Mac users: If you use a Mac, your updates download overnight; however, you may be prompted to install them.

What are updates? Updates are usually security patches; they can also include fixes that improve functionality.

Users always have the option to sign in to the self-service software center available on their device and download the most current Microsoft Office updates.

Self-service software center for PC

Self-service software center for Mac

The Residence Life Office will host new first-year and transfer student move-in day on Thursday, August 22. Drivers may experience traffic delays on Rockwell Road from Neumann Hall to the Student Apartment Complex and on Iroquois Drive near the Towers and Moore Complex as family members drop off students for check-in.

Please call the Residence Life Office at 878-3000 with questions or for assistance.

Members of the campus community are cordially invited to a retirement celebration for Mary Wilson, program coordinator with the Buffalo State Child Care Center, on Thursday, August 29, at 4:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A114.

Ms. Wilson has worked at Buffalo State since 1987. Throughout her tenure, she has been a tireless advocate for children and best practice in child care centers. She received the Dorothy B. Millard Award from the Child Care Resource Network in 2006 and the SUNY Early Care and Education Leaders (SEEL) Marcia Brady Excellence in Child Care Award in 2019.

Those planing to attend are asked to RSVP by e-mail by Tuesday, August 27.