Please commit just five minutes to reading this article for NOVA by Tim de Chant. You are also strongly encouraged to watch the video embedded in the article. Just scroll down and click on the arrow in the middle of the video.

Many of you write with information, suggestions, and conversation about information security. Please continue! If you have an idea, link, or story to convey, please e-mail Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of RITE strategic partnerships. Thank you.

Winterim provides a variety of activities to support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of the Buffalo State community. Winterim will be held January 16–19 and is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and learn from one another. Sessions this year include learning American sign language, creating arts and crafts, cheese tastings, and technology tips. Register for sessions soon; they will fill up quickly!

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 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.

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.

Effective January 1, 2018, the standard mileage rate for employee travel is 54.5 cents per mile.

For more information, please see the GSA website or call the Travel Services Department at 878-4117.

The Small Business Development Center will present "Survive and Thrive: Essentials of Starting Your Own Business," a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Tuesday, January 23, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Burchfield Penney Art Center (second floor). Specific topics will include creating a business plan; competition analysis; and tax, legal, and insurance issues. The workshop is free for Buffalo State College faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as U.S. military veterans and $20 for all others.

Registration will take place immediately before the workshop, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. To register in advance, please call the SBDC at 878-4030.

The Small Business Development Center will present "Survive and Thrive: Essentials for Starting Your Own Business," a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Tuesday, January 23, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Burchfield Penney Art Center (second floor). Specific topics will include creating a business plan; competition analysis; and tax, legal, and insurance issues. The workshop is free for Buffalo State College faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as U.S. military veterans and $20 for all others.

Registration will take place immediately before the workshop, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. To register in advance, please call the SBDC at 878-4030.

Increase student engagement and active learning in your classroom with the TurningPoint student response system. This hands-on workshop will introduce you to TurningPoint, and provide you with the hardware and software necessary to use TurningPoint in your classroom.

We'll discuss

• how a response system can increase student engagement;
• different types of classroom polling (PowerPoint polling, anywhere polling, self-paced polling);
• how to set up and run PowerPoint polling;
• how to view session data and export results to Blackboard; and
• response device options for students: clickers and mobile polling.

Both workshops will be held in Bulger Communication Center 122.

• January 23: 2:30–3:30 p.m.
• January 30: 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

TurningPoint resources for instructors and students can be found in the RITE Portal. Additional support or training can also be requested by opening a ticket in the RITE Portal.

Turnitin is a web-based service instructors may use to deter and detect plagiarism. Instructors can use Turnitin directly within their Blackboard courses.

Each hands-on Turnitin workshop will show you how to create assignments, navigate the Turnitin interface, interpret originality reports, and provide grades and feedback.

Both workshops will take place in Bulger Communication Center 122.

• Thursday, January 25: 2:30–3:30 p.m.
• Thursday, February 1: 12:30–1:30 p.m.

Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Training tutorials and resources are also available. Those who would like more information or help with Turnitin can request assistance in the RITE Portal.

Bengal Success Portal (Starfish) workshops are now scheduled for the spring 2018 semester. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

Spring 2018 Workshops 

• Bengal Success Portal: Demonstration 
• Bengal Success Portal: Getting Started 
• Flags, Kudos, and Referrals 
• Calendar, Appointments, and Attendance 

Bengal Success Portal resources can be found in the RITE Portal. Additional training, including training for departments, can be requested by opening a ticket in the RITE Portal.

Please e-mail bengalsuccess@buffalostate.edu with questions.