The Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS) Office will open a Restorative Justice Center in fall 2019, and we invite the campus community to attend one of the following information sessions. These sessions will provide background on what restorative justice is and our vision for implementing practices on our campus. If you are interested in learning more or want to support this initiative, please stop by one of the information sessions. You can also e-mail the SCCS to request more information. All sessions will be held in Campbell Student Union 415:

Thursday, April 4
5:00–6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, April 17
Noon–1:00 p.m.
5:00–6:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 18
4:00–5:00 p.m.

Staff members from SCCS can also deliver an information session for departments and units by request. Please submit requests for presentations by e-mail, with "Request for RJ Info Session" in the subject line.

We are actively seeking volunteers to serve as campus partners for the Restorative Justice Center.  Please e-mail SCCS for information on how to become a partner.

The Philosophy Department is pleased to announce the 2019 lecture in the Mary Lou Littlefield Speaker Series in Philosophy, “Stoicism as a Personal Philosophy of Life,” presented by Massimo Pigliucci, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center, on Wednesday, April 10, at 3:00 p.m. in the Alumni Center's Costello Hall.

What exactly is a philosophy of life? Who needs it, and why? Answers to these questions begin with a story that happened 23 centuries ago and resulted in the articulation of one of the most influential philosophies of antiquity: Stoicism. That philosophy is experiencing a comeback in the twenty-first century, for the simple reasons that it resonates with fundamentals of the human condition and that it works in practice. We will see how Stoicism can offer a compass to navigate life, to set priorities for what is important, to become better citizens of the world, and even to prepare ourselves for the most difficult test of our character: our own demise at the end of our life.

The annual Mary Lou Littlefield Speaker Series in Philosophy was established in 2018 by Mrs. Littlefield’s daughter, Adele Littlefield Cloutier, ’81, and granddaughter Emily Elise Cloutier, ’18. Mrs. Littlefield worked at Buffalo State for more than 20 years, serving in various departments on campus, including the Research Foundation and the Peace Corps and Admissions offices, and as an administrative assistant to President D. Bruce Johnstone.

From the Faculty and Staff Appeal Committee
The 2019 Faculty and Staff Appeal—the annual fundraising campaign that supports the outstanding students and programs of Buffalo State—is underway, but there is still plenty of time to make your donation. Your generosity has helped hardworking students like Francesco Cardillo.

As a former Buffalo State student-athlete on the men’s soccer team, and now as the team’s head coach, Mr. Cardillo experienced firsthand the tremendous impact that contributions to the Bengal Club have had on our student-athletes and their programs.

After transferring to Buffalo State from SUNY Canton in 2013, he was particularly impressed with the athletics department’s and soccer program’s mission to create the very best experience for its student-athletes. As a coach, he’s not only adopted that mission but has expanded its reach so that all our student-athletes leave the soccer program with a quality education and outstanding, positive memories they’ll cherish for the rest of the lives.

“Annual contributions to the Bengal Club Fund or to one of the 17 team funds make it possible for our more than 400 student-athletes to compete at the highest levels in academics, athletics, and in the community,” Mr. Cardillo said. “The generosity of our donors helps provide our student-athletes with uniforms, equipment, and other services and resources to help them reach their goals and achieve their dreams both on and off the playing field.”

The Bengal Club is just one of hundreds of funds that you can support through the Faculty and Staff Appeal. The full list of funds (PDF, 289 KB) is available on the Giving website.

Whether you make a one-time gift or opt for payroll deductions throughout the year, your gift will help ensure that more students have the chance to realize their dream of a college education. Please use the form enclosed in your donor packet or make your gift online. If you did not receive a donor packet through campus mail, or if you have questions about the appeal, please contact a member of the Faculty and Staff Appeal Committee.

Join us! It’s What Bengals Do.

New York State fiscal year April 1, 2019–March 31, 2020, is a leap year. In any fiscal year in which February 29 falls, the Office of the State Comptroller automatically adjusts salaried employees' biweekly salary calculations based on 366 days in the fiscal year. Salaried employees will see a change in their biweekly gross earnings beginning with the May 1, 2019, paycheck. Hourly wage employees are not affected in this way.

Questions regarding the leap year salary calculation may be directed to the Payroll Office at 878-4124.

The search committee for the college's next director of the Honors Program invites the campus community to attend the following open forums with candidates for the position. Each candidate's name and vita will be published in the Daily Bulletin two days before the date of his or her presentation. At the open forums, candidates will offer a short opening statement and then take questions from the audience. An online survey will be made available to solicit feedback on each candidate. Both forums will be held in Bulger Communication Center 217. Please mark your calendars; we look forward to campus participation in the search process. Please direct questions about the process to Wendy Paterson, chair of the search committee.

Candidate 1
Thursday, April 11
12:45–1:30 p.m.

Candidate 2
Tuesday, April 16
12:45–1:30 p.m.

Come and celebrate the First Friday of each month at 8:00 a.m. in the Newman Center Chapel. We will gather for Mass and start the month with a renewed perspective. Stay for a cup of coffee afterward or take a cup to go. Our next celebration will take place this Friday, April 5. 

Here's one easy thing you can do this week to help the students you advise:

Did you know that the deadline for students to change their grading option to Pass/Fail or to withdraw from a course is this Friday, April 5? Educating your advisees about these options may help them to have a more successful semester.

Pass/Fail Grading Option
When students are struggling in a course, changing their grading option to Pass/Fail (PDF, 162 KB) may help them preserve their GPA, especially if they believe they can improve with the help of free tutoring and by changing their study habits.

It is important to note that students must be matriculated, and only one course per semester may be taken Pass/Fail. Students may not take the following courses Pass/Fail:

• Major or minor courses
• CWP 101 or CWP 102
• Courses in which they previously received a grade of C-, D+, D, or E

Withdrawal from a Course
In certain cases, students may wish to withdraw from a course in which they are not doing well to focus their efforts on their other courses. Depending on a student's unique situation, there may be many pros and cons to withdrawing from a course (or courses), so it is helpful for the adviser to weigh those with the student. 

Students who are considering withdrawing from a course should first speak with their instructor, their adviser, and a financial aid counselor. Withdrawals resulting in enrollment for less than 12 credit hours may affect financial aid and scholarships. It is also important for students to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for federal aid and New York State aid. Because withdrawals can sometimes (but not always) affect a student's eligibility, it is always a good idea to recommend that he or she stop by Financial Aid in Moot Hall before making a decision. 

This Tip of the Week has been brought to you by the Academic Advising Advisory Council (AAAC). Got a great advising tip you'd like to share (or some feedback about academic advising at Buffalo State)? Contact AAAC co-chairs Lisa Berglund, professor of English, or Aimee Woznick, director of the Academic Commons.

Have a question, concern, suggestion, or technical problem with the Bengal Success Portal? Contact bengalsuccess@buffalostate.edu.

An education representative from the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF), the premier fashion education nonprofit in the country, will hold an information session on Tuesday, April 9, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214.

Every fall the YMA FSF offers $5,000, $10,000, or $35,000 scholarship awards to hundreds of students, along with summer internships with the world's top fashion companies and most influential leaders in the fashion industry. 

Students who attend Buffalo State full time for the fall 2019 semester can apply for this scholarship. Topics for the YMA FSF case study cover the areas of design and product development, merchandising and marketing, analytics, and supply chain management. This scholarship opportunity is possible only because Buffalo State is an FSF member school.

From the Chair of the College Senate Bylaws and Elections Committee
Two at-large College Senate positions, one University Faculty Senate position, and one University Faculty Senate alternate position will become vacant on August 30, 2019. All full-time faculty and professional staff members are eligible to run for these seats provided they meet other eligibility requirements (see below).

At-large senators represent the entirety of the college. University Faculty senators are senators within both the Buffalo State College Senate and the SUNY University Faculty Senate. The alternate attends SUNY University Faculty Senate meetings only in the absence of the university faculty senator.

A call for nominations and information about candidates’ statements will be posted on the College Senate website. The call for nominations begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 15, and continues through 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 19. Elections for these positions will run from 12:01 a.m. Monday, April 22, to 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 26. The link will be live on April 15.

Senate elections conducted by the schools of Arts and Humanities, Education, Natural and Social Sciences, and the Professions as well as the Professional Staff Caucus (PSC) should be concluded before the election cycle for the at-large seats.

Eligibility: Current College Senate members who are completing two consecutive terms in their respective positions are not eligible for reelection. For additional information on eligibility requirements, please consult the College Senate bylaws.

Campaigning: The College Senate Elections and Bylaws Committee strongly discourages using college e-mail services for campaigning. Please limit campaigning to the candidate statement posted on the College Senate website.

Please note: Individuals running for a senator position in another election may not also run for at-large senator or university faculty senator positions while the other election is being conducted. If the other election concludes during the period when nominations for at-large or university faculty senator are still being accepted, eligible individuals may self-nominate for either position.

If you are interested in being a candidate, please contact Vince Masci, assistant to the College Senate, 878-5139. We look forward to your participation in the vital process of campus governance.

Please note, the official voting portal (log-in required) is closed until April 22.

Buffalo State alumni and friends are invited to the first alumni wine club tasting and seminar, featuring the wines of Spain, on Thursday, April 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center. The admission fee of $20 per person for alumni ($25 for non-alumni) includes five tastings—two reds, two whites, and one sparkling—an assortment of cheeses, and other light refreshments. 

Paula Paradise, owner of Paradise Wine on Rhode Island Street in Buffalo, will lead the event. Please register online by noon, Thursday April 4. Contact the Alumni Engagement Office, 878-6001, with questions or for more information.