Please join us for the professional development workshop "The Art of Storytelling," presented by Aaron Daniel Annas, director of the television and film arts program at Buffalo State, on Tuesday, October 23, from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Chase Hall 109.

Ever wonder what makes a “good” story? Through examples, techniques, and exercises, Mr. Annas will lead this workshop on the art of storytelling. Learn how to shape and tell a good story. Gain a better understanding of how stories can support effective leadership and communication in your professional life through their ability to motivate, influence, and inspire.

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

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Rethinking Productivity Using Campus Technology: Methods for Managing Time and Tasks," presented by Todd Benzin, educational technology specialist, and Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development, on Monday, October 22, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in Chase Hall 109.

Do you ever feel that you could be working more efficiently and wonder why tasks are taking longer than you expected? Learning how to use campus technologies to control distractions, organize information to complete tasks, and create a workflow process that enhances productivity can help employees maximize the efficiency and quality of their work. During this workshop, participants will

• evaluate how they manage their work;
• learn workflow and attention management best practices; and
• explore how they can work differently to be more productive using campus technology.

One-on-one productivity enhancement coaching sessions with Jonathan Hulbert and Todd Benzin will be offered after the workshop upon request.

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

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Design Thinking for Improving Services: A Crash Course," presented by Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of RITE strategic partnerships, on Monday, October 15, from 10:00 to 11:45 a.m. in Chase Hall 109.

Do you have a service or process that needs improvement? Try putting it through the "design thinking" framework. Design thinking is not product focused; it is people focused, and it puts the needs of those being served at the center of the thinking. The design thinking framework is a solution-oriented approach to service design that requires tuning in to the user and understanding user needs and current challenges. As a result of this hands-on workshop, participants will be able to

• understand how to implement the design thinking framework;
• identify how to define and redefine the service user’s perspective and needs; and
• recognize how to ideate, prototype, and test solutions for the service, all while keeping the process focused on the user.

An individual’s capability to effectively implement design thinking is dependent on his or her ability to listen and empathize with the user, which can be a skill cultivated through emotional and social intelligence development. For those interested in the Design Thinking workshop, it is highly recommended to have first attended the "Strengthening Leadership through Emotional and Social Intelligence" workshop on September 26.

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

All members of the Teacher Education Unit (TEU) are invited to attend the Teacher Education Council (TEC) meeting on Friday, October 12, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Carmine A. Grande Conference Room, Cleveland Hall 418. Current issues in teacher education and assessment will be discussed.

J-Term 2019 begins Thursday, January 3, and ends Wednesday, January 23. Eleven traditional courses and 44 online (100 percent) courses will be offered. Banner Preview begins Wednesday, October 10. Please be sure to view the J-Term 2019 Courses web page for important information and deadlines.

Universities and colleges are prime targets for scams because of their decentralized budgets, ordering practices, and changing personnel. Buffalo State's Procurement Department has been made aware of several recent potential scam attempts.

The most common commodities that are scammed are advertising, copier toner, light bulbs, ice-melting products, office supplies, printer cartridges, and chemicals, but scams can involve any commodity or service that exists.

The best way to avoid a scam is to stay informed, remain alert, and question when something doesn't sound right or seems too good to be true.

Common techniques:

• Telephone or e-mail solicitations offering a "special sale"
• Callers asking what kind of copy machine you have in your office
• Companies offering to send you free samples
• Companies offering to ship a product without a purchase order and bill you later
• Companies sending in an actual tear sheet of a real classified employment advertisement with a phony invoice
• Unknown solicitors calling to ask for your shipping address
• Companies shipping goods that were never ordered and then sending an inflated invoice for payment
• Companies using a name similar to, but not exactly the same as, a company you deal with
• Companies selling items at greatly discounted prices but claiming you need to order now to take advantage of the savings
• Callers who state that the "college's president referred me to you"
• Companies who say they are selling discontinued items at closeout prices
• Callers who ask for your account number or credit card number

If you suspect that you have been contacted by a possible scammer, advise the caller that it would be best to let Procurement Services speak to them and give them the Procurement phone number: (716) 878-4113. Chances are they will not call. If the caller is persistent, please collect as much company information as you can and contact Steve Olsen, director of contract management, 878-4113.

The Global Engagement Office will host a photo contest for International Education Week 2018. All Buffalo State students can submit one photo to each of three categories—"The World as Your Classroom," "Culture and Customs," and "A Different Perspective"—for a total of three submissions.

The winner from each category will receive a gift card to the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore. Winning photos will be used for fliers, posters, and the department website to promote events during International Education Week, November 12–16.

Submissions will be accepted now through October 31. Winners will be announced on November 12. For additional information about the categories, rules, and submission process, please visit the Global Engagement website.

Please e-mail Tricia Herritt, director of international student and scholar services, with questions.

A VPAT, which stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, documents a software's compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards. When purchasing software through Information Technology, we check to ensure that the vendor has a VPAT for the product. If you purchase software without going through Information Technology, always ask the vendor for a copy of its VPAT.

A VPAT, which stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, documents a software's compliance with Section 508 accessibility standards. When purchasing software through RITE Operations, we check to ensure that the vendor has a VPAT for the product. If you purchase software without going through RITE Operations, always ask the vendor for a copy of its VPAT.

Did you know that Microsoft Office has a built-in Accessibility Checker? The Accessibility Checker checks your documents for you and provides step-by-step instructions on how to correct any non-accessible content. 

Please see this Microsoft support document about how to use the built-in Accessibility Checker. You may also request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT) or use the Knowledge Base article "Accessibility: Using MS Office to Create Course Materials."