Please join us today, April 30, for the seminar "Use of Molecular Genetics for the Conservation of Species of Concern," presented by Isabel Porto-Hannes, research associate with the University at Buffalo's Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) initiative, at 4:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West. This seminar is presented by the Great Lakes Center, the Biology Department, and the Great Lakes ecosystem science program and is open to all.

Please join us for the seminar "Use of Molecular Genetics for the Conservation of Species of Concern," presented by Isabel Porto-Hannes, research associate with the University at Buffalo's Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) initiative, on Monday, April 30, at 4:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West. This seminar is presented by the Great Lakes Center, the Biology Department, and the Great Lakes ecosystem science program and is open to all.

Please join us for Cooking with Chef Don, featuring "almost scratch" recipes for people on the go, on Monday, April 23, at 3:30 p.m. in the Caudell Cooking Studio. Recipes include fresh pasta with marinara sauce, seafood macaroni and cheese, and chicken and waffles.

Reservations are required. The cost is $15, payable to Hospitality Catering, made in person at the Hospitality Office, Caudell Hall 334, or by phone at 878-5913. Payments may also be sent via campus mail to the Hospitality Office, Caudell Hall 334, Attention: Chef Don. Reservation fee includes samples of food and printed recipes. Please call 878-5913 for more information.

Buffalo State's 146th Commencement is a few short weeks away, and rental orders for academic regalia for marchers are due Friday, April 20, for guaranteed hood colors and standard shipping charges. Marchers, if you have not already done so, please visit the Commencement website to register to march and for regalia order instructions. Also, a limited number and variety of gowns are available for loan through the Academic Affairs Office. A request for regalia loans form is provided on the marchers web page. Please provide your own hood and cap, either rented or owned.

As a reminder, graduates will participate by school:

• 9:00 a.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Education, School of the Professions
• 1:00 p.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Arts and Humanities, School of Natural and Social Sciences, Individualized Studies
• 5:00 p.m. Graduate School Ceremony: Master's Degrees and Certificates of Advanced Study

Volunteer ushers may also register online for the ceremony(ies) they choose. Volunteer ushers do not wear regalia. Your assistance with greeting guests, the graduate lineup, and distributing booklets is greatly needed and deeply appreciated.

Thank you to the Buffalo State community for your dedicated service on Commencement day.

If you have a question about using Blackboard, please contact Open SUNY Support at (844) 673-6786 or submit a request online with the Open SUNY HelpDesk.

You can also use the following self-service options:

• RITE Portal KB: Blackboard FAQ Knowledge Base
• RITE: IDT: Quick tutorials on how to use the features of Blackboard
• Bb Help for Instructors: Answers to common issues and ways to customize your course

Campus queries related to Blackboard that Open SUNY Support is unable to address should be directed to riteportal.buffalostate.edu. This process will ensure the most efficient service.

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Introvert Thinkers: Understanding the Power of Introverts in the Workplace," presented by Rebecca Catalano, professional development assistant, on Thursday, April 26, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in Butler Library 181B.

Generally, people who are more introverted solve problems or generate better ideas while quietly reflecting. They ignite energy by having plenty of time to think and reflect before an upcoming meeting, presentation, or event; prefer listening to speaking; and are more likely to feel drained after an interpersonal event. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, argues that Western culture undervalues the traits and capabilities of introverted people, which leads to wasted talent in the workplace. She fights for the power of introverts, who have all the capabilities to become successful leaders. Participants in this session will learn strategies to become credible and confident leaders, develop ways to build great working relationships with extroverted colleagues, and improve networking skills by learning how to feel comfortable in energy-draining situations.

Breakfast will be provided, sponsored by the Buffalo State chapter of United University Professions. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Yes, we are posting another message about Facebook, this one from the Identity Theft Resource Center. The information may be applicable to all social networking sites and free web-based services. The following is excerpted from the TMI newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here.

This week, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is answering for the incidents surrounding the Cambridge Analytica incident. If you think that you may have been affected by the misuse of your personal profile information, Facebook is now letting you know if you *may* have been affected. However, we still don’t have concrete proof of what data was taken or what the potential impacts are to individual users.

Threat:  Facebook Cambridge Analytica Data Misuse

Do You Need to Worry: Yes. Without a clear indication of what exactly was compromised, we still can’t tell you how to protect yourself. It continues to serve as a warning about understanding your privacy settings on any social media platform, awareness of what apps can access from your account, and making sure you’re comfortable with how outsiders can view and use your data, among other aspects of data usage in the social realm.

What Can You Do About It: Understand that if you aren’t paying for a service, more likely than not, your data is the product being sold.

The Great Lakes Center is pleased to release the Spring 2018 Newsletter (PDF, 1 MB). This issue focuses on species spotlights: the Texas hornshell (Popenaias popeii), a unionid mussel that we had a part in getting listed as an endangered species; slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), an invasive plant that WNY PRISM lists as a high-priority early detection species; and the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), a native fruit tree recently donated to the campus. Also, we feature the new GLES 4+1 pathway, the demolition of the Science Building, and some of our recent outreach efforts.

If you'd like to be on the mailing list for future editions of the newsletter, please send an e-mail to greatlakes@buffalostate.edu with the subject "Newsletter mailing list add."

From the Special Adviser to the Provost for Academic Research Initiatives
Please join us for our fifth workshop on funding for research, “Philanthropic Foundation Funding," presented by Michelle Rudnicki, director of corporate and foundation relations and planned giving in the Institutional Advancement Office, today, April 17, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Caudell Hall 127. Ms. Rudnicki works to garner support for Buffalo State by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding corporations, corporate foundations, and private foundations. She will provide valuable information on how faculty members can apply for funding from foundations by working with her office.

Please join us for the annual Student Affairs Student Leadership Awards Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, April 24, at 3:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall as we present the following awards:

Mildred Keller Campbell Student Leadership Award
Phillip Santa Maria Student Humanitarian Award
Minnie and Joe Engel Student Humanitarian Award
Luis M. Antonetti Student Humanitarian Award
Phillip Santa Maria Award for Student Leadership in Equity and Campus Diversity

In addition, we will recognize the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence and the President’s Medal recipients. Please contact Brian Dubenion, interim director of student life, 878-4631, with questions.