Nominations will be accepted through Friday, February 9, 2018, for the 2017–2018 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. This SUNY system-level award recognizes classified service employees for excellence and superior service to students and the community at large. Members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

The nomination form and award guidelines are available online. Thank you.

Nominations will be accepted through Friday, February 9, for the 2017–2018 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. This SUNY system-level award recognizes classified service employees for excellence and superior service to students and the community at large. Members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

The nomination form and award guidelines are available online. Thank you.

The faculty-staff workroom in Butler Library 310 will be off-line starting Friday, February 9, in preparation for the Butler Library renovation project. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding during our transition. Please contact Ken Fujiuchi, head of Information Commons, with questions or concerns.

Are you interested in teaching online? Perhaps you’re already teaching online but are interested in developing new strategies to help your students succeed. Maybe you would like to incorporate online activities into your face-to-face course. 

The Online Course Development workshop certificate series is designed to provide you with techniques and best practices for teaching in the online environment.  

These workshops will provide you with techniques and resources to

• create opportunities for meaningful interaction with students;
• develop content to increase student engagement;
• provide a variety of learning experiences and activities to address various student needs;
• develop an intuitive online course environment; and
• ensure alignment between course outcomes, assessments, and activities.

All workshops will be held Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 120 as follows:

1. Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning – February 7
2. Backward Design Step 1: Developing Course Objectives and Priorities - February 14
3. Backward Design Step 2: Developing Course Assessments – February 21
4. Backward Design Step 3: Developing the Learning Plan – February 28
5. Designing and Organizing Your Course in Blackboard - March 7
6. Interaction: Communication and Collaboration – March 14

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Brooke Winckelmann, instructional designer.

Please advise seniors who are expecting to graduate in May or August 2018 that the deadlines to submit their online graduation applications are approaching:

May 2018: Online applications are due Friday, February 2.

August 2018: Online applications are due Friday, February 16, for students who want their names to appear in the Commencement program, or Friday, June 1, for students who understand that their names will not appear in the Commencement program.

The minimum number of credits for an undergraduate degree is 120. To avoid any delays in the awarding of their degrees, students should review their Degree Works audit to make sure all requirements have been met. More information and instructions on using the new online gradation application are available on the Registrar's website. Please contact the Registrar's Office, Moot Hall 210, 878-4811, with questions.

Don't forget to update your office hours or advising hours for the spring 2018 semester in the Bengal Success Portal.

After instructors and advisers set up office and advising hours, students can schedule appointments during hours you make available in the Bengal Success Portal. A confirmation is sent to your Buffalo State e-mail, where you can accept or decline the appointment. Students automatically receive confirmation and reminder e-mails for scheduled appointments, resulting in fewer no-shows.

Learn how to edit your office hours and advising hours. If you haven't yet set up office hours or advising hours, learn how to create office hours in the Bengal Success Portal.

Classroom Support Services has compiled several resource pages with information on classroom technology equipment, classroom access, and training.

Please visit the website for general information, as well as a list of generally scheduled classrooms, complete with pictures and equipment availability. To report a classroom technology issue, please follow the instructions on the Report an Issue page. As always, for immediate assistance, you may call 878-6670.

Please feel free to share this information with colleagues. Have an excellent semester!

From the Head of the Teacher Education Unit and Dean of the School of Education
The Teacher Education Unit is seeking a full-time faculty member who is interested in a leadership position that would provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for all Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) assessment and reporting activities in the Teacher Education Unit.

Job Description
This position would be responsible for

• advising the unit head (dean of the School of Education) on all internal and external communications relating to compliance and accreditation for the Teacher Education Unit;
• working with the dean of the School of Education, the Teacher Certification Office, the institutional effectiveness research analyst, and the associate vice president for institutional effectiveness to develop timelines and facilitate tasks required yearly and within the accreditation cycle for all educator preparation programs in the unit;
• developing a plan for systematic distribution of candidate performance evidence for individual programs and the Teacher Education Unit;
• working with the research analyst and the data manager to analyze and present data derived from unit and key program assessments for use in documenting continuous program improvement;
• working with coordinators, directors, and faculty members in EP programs to ensure sound assessment methodology, reporting, and timely data collection of candidates and program performance;
• coordinating the CAEP visit in 2022 and/or when required;
• compiling necessary information from all contributors;
• writing and submitting a final institutional CAEP report; and
• communicating with CAEP on conditions or rejoinders following submission of the institutional report.

Qualifications
Full-time, tenured faculty member at the associate or full professor level from any program containing teacher education. 

Duties and Responsibilities
1. Ensure that all program and unit assessments reflect the Teacher Education Unit’s conceptual framework and incorporate candidate proficiencies outlined in specialized professional association standards, New York State standards, and initial and advanced program standards for CAEP and/or the current accrediting body.

2. Guide the faculty in the Teacher Education Unit to institute effective work plans that maintain and improve program and unit assessments and use data from candidate performance and program performance metrics to improve programs, support retention, and ensure graduation of students enrolled in the Teacher and Leader Education programs.

3. Work with the institutional effectiveness research analyst and the Teacher Certification Office to facilitate data collection and interpretation of local and state assessments on timeline consistent with CAEP accreditation requirements.

4. Develop consistent, periodic reports based on multiple progression points throughout the programs and after program completion to clearly monitor and aggregate candidate performance and to be shared regularly with the dean of the School of Education, the Teacher Education Council, and program directors and department chairs. 

5. Attend CAEPCon informational conferences at least once a year. Report back to the dean and TEC.

6. Work with the research analyst, Taskstream “point” persons in each EPP, and the Assessment Committee of the Teacher Education Council to review and improve instruments for meeting accreditation requirements and meeting CAEP standards at initial and advanced levels.

7. Work with the Teacher Certification Office to support edTPA performance and submission.

8. Write, complete, and submit all institutional reports required by CAEP and/or the current teacher preparation accrediting body.

9. Coordinate and manage CAEP visit in 2022 and any required preliminary visits and post-review rejoinders.

10. Develop familiarity and facility with TaskStream LAT and AMS platforms. 

11. Provide additional support for Teacher Education Unit departments and department chairs to recognize, streamline, and reduce reporting redundancies between CAEP and other institutional requirements associated with Middle States. 

Application Process
Submit by e-mail (1) a cover letter addressing the Duties and Responsibilities and Qualifications and (2) a current CV to Dr. Wendy Paterson, Dean of the School of Education, by 5:00 p.m. Monday, February 12, 2018.

Reports to the College Senate are posted on the College Senate website. The most recent reports are from the December 8, 2017, Senate meeting.

Podcasts are now 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 podcast web page. Senate meeting summaries are also posted to the website after they are presented to the Senate.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The first College Senate meeting of the spring 2018 semester will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, February 9, in Butler Library 210. Senate meetings are recorded and posted as podcasts on the College Senate website. Please visit the website to catch up on past Senate news, listen to podcasts of past meetings, or review meeting summaries. The schedule (PDF, 46 KB) of all upcoming College Senate meeting dates is also posted.

The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211. Howard Reid, professor of psychology, is chair of the College Senate for the 2017–2018 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.