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 can be found 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.

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.

Applications for the Robert J. Elmes Jr. Memorial Scholarship are now available for the fall 2019 semester. All CSEA Local 640 members and their dependent children who are registered or will register at Buffalo State College for at least 3 credit hours for the fall 2019 semester may apply for the $250 scholarship. Fliers were mailed to all CSEA members with application instructions. Applications must be completed in the Campus Application Portal for Scholarships (CAPS) system by Wednesday, May 1. If you did not receive a flier or need assistance or instructions, please contact Mary Codick, secretary 1 in the Teacher Certification Office, 878-6121. Thank you and good luck.

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Catch Up on Sleep and Reduce Stress," presented by Jessica Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of social work, on Tuesday, February 26, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109.

Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation that has the power to transform, heal, and rejuvenate you at core levels: 30 minutes is equivalent to three hours of sleep! Through the use of body sensing, breath awareness, guided imagery, and other practices, participants are systematically guided on a journey through each level of their whole being called the koshas.

Anyone can do Yoga Nidra; no movement is required. Participants lie in Savasana on their mat or sit comfortably for the meditation.

You will need a yoga mat and a blanket. You may want to bring an eye mask and additional blankets to act as a cushion under your head or a bolster under your knees. Feel free to bring a towel if you do not have a yoga mat.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Top five things to know about the Buffalo State University Police Department:

1. The Buffalo State University Police Department is a full-service accredited police department that serves the campus community 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
2. An officer is only a phone call away: Call 878-6333 for all emergencies on campus. Calling 911 will only delay assistance, as the call will be routed through our dispatch center.
3. University Police officers operate under a community-oriented policing philosophy (PDF, 80 KB) that promotes a partnership between the campus community and the University Police. Through this partnership, UPD offers various training options on campus with regard to emergency preparedness, active shooter scenarios, rape aggression defense (RAD), and more.
4. Buff State Alert is used to announce all emergencies or campus closures. Text Buffalostate to 79516 or visit buffstatealert.buffalostate.edu.
5. Walking escorts are available until 10:00 p.m. by calling 878-6333. In addition, two shuttle options are available, depending on the time of day. The Grant-Cleveland shuttle is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the evening shuttle is available from 4:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.  

A printable version of these important safety tips (PDF, 206 KB) is available on our website. For more information about these and additional services, please visit the Buffalo State University Police website.

The “Top Five Things to Know About…” series is sponsored by the Teaching and Learning Center. If you’d like to contribute to the series, please e-mail John Draeger, TLC director.

Are you planning a research study? Join us for a workshop about designing research on Thursday, March 21, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. We will discuss identifying a research question, exploring the literature, and choosing methods of data collection and analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods will be covered. The session will be facilitated by Reva Fish, associate professor of the social and psychological foundations of education, and Laura Klenk, associate professor of elementary education, literacy, and educational leadership.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Please join us for the Teaching and Learning Center workshop "Using Applied Learning to Develop Student Professional Behavior and Dispositions" on Wednesday, March 13, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. (Attendance at part one of this series is not required to attend part two). 

This session will provide a brief overview of SUNY's and Buffalo State’s applied learning initiatives. We will discuss how applied learning can be used as a platform to promote professional behavior and dispositions. Participants will have the opportunity to develop and share ideas for their own classes. The session will be facilitated by Angela Patti, Pamela Schuetze-Pizarro, Lauren Mirabella-Ormsby, and Pixita del Prado Hill. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Please join us for the Teaching and Learning Center workshop "Short-Term Study Abroad as Applied Learning" on Thursday, February 21, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. Have you ever considered short-term study abroad as a part of your course? Have you been engaged in this for some time? Join this session to explore how short-term study-abroad opportunities can be integrated into coursework by incorporating strategies for planning, structured reflection, and feedback. The session will be facilitated by Ann Emo, department chair and associate professor of theater. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Do you want to help students write more effectively? Come and learn more about metacognition during this Teaching and Learning Center workshop on Wednesday, February 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Chase Hall 109. Metacognition requires that faculty members become explicitly aware of student learning needs and engage in an ongoing process of intentionally planning, monitoring, and evaluating whether those needs are being met. This session will consider several building blocks for metacognitive instruction, including awareness of learning processes, consideration of particular student needs, choice of instructional strategy, and acquisition of feedback on student learning (Scharff & Draeger 2015). Through a series of guided prompts, we will explore how we can use metacognition to promote better writing. The session will be facilitated by John Draeger, professor of philosophy and director of the Teaching and Learning Center. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed flags to half-staff on all state government buildings in memory and honor of New York Police Department Detective Brian Simonsen, who was shot and killed February 12 while responding to a robbery in Queens. Detective Simonsen was a resident of Calverton and served with the NYPD for 19 years. Flags will be flown at half-staff from Thursday, February 14, until his interment.

"I am deeply saddened by the shooting of NYPD Detective Brian Simonsen," Governor Cuomo said. "This tragedy is a heartbreaking reminder of the risks the brave men and women in law enforcement face every day to keep us safe. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I offer my deepest sympathies to Detective Simonsen's loved ones and fellow members of the NYPD."

Come and learn about just-in-time teaching strategies during this Teaching and Learning Center workshop on Wednesday, February 20, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Chase Hall 109. Just-in-time strategies offer instructors techniques to help students come to class prepared, especially having done the reading. Join a conversation around how just-in-time teaching can help create learning environments that enhance the classroom experience for everyone. The session will be facilitated by John Draeger, professor of philosophy and director of the Teaching and Learning Center. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.