Flu shots will be available for faculty and staff members on Wednesday September 20, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. in Butler Library 210. (A second clinic will be held Thursday, October 12: same time and location.)

No appointment is necessary. The following health insurance plans will be accepted: Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY, Independent Health, Blue Choice, MVP, and Medicare Part B. Employees without a participating insurance plan will be charged $30 for the flu shot.

Participation and acceptance of any insurance is not a guarantee of benefits or payment in full. Co-payments or a deductible may apply. Please call your insurance provider’s member services department with questions regarding coverage.

Empire Plan enrollees may obtain their flu shot from an Empire Plan participating pharmacy without co-pay or at their doctor’s office (participating provider) for their usual co-pay should they wish to do so.

Please call Employee Benefits at 878-4821 or the member services department of your insurance company with questions regarding your health insurance coverage. The phone number should be on your insurance card.

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Rethinking Productivity: Methods for Managing Time and Tasks" on Tuesday, September 26, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. in Butler Library 181B.

Do you ever feel as if you could be working more efficiently and wonder why tasks are taking longer than you expected? Learning how 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. 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.

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

Join the Professional Development Schools Consortium (PDS) at the 2017 Teacher Tailgate, an open house gathering of education students, staff, and faculty to extend relationships across academic boundaries and share information and opportunities with teacher candidates, on Tueday, September 19, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in Butler Library 210.

Through this year's theme, Engage the World: Invest in Yourself (PDF, 128 KB), participants will explore international opportunities for educators, teacher education organizations and clubs, certification information, graduate teacher education programs, the employment outlook for educators, and more. Food and prizes will be distributed.

This event is open to all; advance registration is not necessary.

Register now for the following live webinars from TIAA in September:

Special Topic: Social Security Part 2
Wednesday, September 13, Noon
Learn the basics about spousal benefits, and understand the many variables involved in claiming strategies and how married couples can boost their benefits by coordinating the timing of claims.

Within Reach: Transitioning from Career to Retirement
Wednesday, September 13, 3:00 p.m.
Plan ahead to help make the most out of your retirement.

Help Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Money from Identity Theft
Thursday, September 14, noon–1:00 p.m.
Learn about measures to help prevent identity theft by securing your personal information.

Income Insights: Mental Accounting in Retirement
Thursday, September 14, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Prepare for your financial future, learn how to save time, and increase control over your budget by applying principles of mental accounting.

The Starting Line: Beginning to Save for Retirement
Thursday, September 14, 3:00 p.m.
Find out how to evaluate and manage debt, find additional ways to save, create a budget, and begin to plan for retirement.

Register for any of the upcoming webinars online.

Additional webinars scheduled through the end of the year are posted on the TIAA website.

From the Diversity Program Coordinator
The Equity and Campus Diversity Office is pleased to announce an extension of the fall Diversity Minigrant Program for 2017–2018. Consistent with the college’s mission, minigrants provide financial assistance for projects, workshops, and activities that have institutional impact—strengthening Buffalo State’s inclusive excellence toward diversity as described by our mission statement, core values, and strategic plan. 

Applications must be submitted at least six weeks in advance of proposed events. The fall project review date has been extended to Friday, October 6. The deadline for spring semester minigrants is Friday, February 16, 2018.

For additional information, please visit the Equity and Campus Diversity website.

The Small Business Development Center presents “Survive and Thrive: Essentials for Starting Your Own Business,” a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Tuesday, September 19, 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.

Students from all majors are invited to join the Anne Frank Project's fifth student delegation to Rwanda in June 2018. Highlights of the trip include visiting genocide memorials, refugee camps, schools, villages and wildlife safaris. The curriculum focuses on sharing AFP’s drama-based education and story-building model with Rwandan teachers and students. AFP’s rich history in Rwanda provides for deeply meaningful experiences well beyond typical study-abroad programs.

Informational meetings covering the application process, itinerary, travel cost, and learning outcomes of the trip will be held as follows:

Thursday, September 21, 12:15–1:30 p.m.
Technology Building 160

Friday, October 6, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Butler Library 210

Wednesday, October 18, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Technology Building 160

Applications are due Wednesday, November 1. For more information, please visit AFP's website.

Please contact Drew Kahn, director of the Anne Frank Project, with questions.

The Anne Frank Project is excited to announce the schedule for its ninth annual social justice festival, AFP 2017: Sharing Stories/Connecting Communities, to be held October 3 and 4 at Buffalo State. AFP 2017 engages participants in multidisciplinary, kinesthetic learning experiences facilitated by local, national, and international scholars, artists, and activists. Look for sessions showcasing Buffalo State faculty, staff, and alumni.

About Our Theme
Our increasingly divisive world is actually the product of a small number of powerful communities rather than the multiple diverse groups of people whose stories are often silenced by oppression, or simply unknown. AFP 2017 encourages presenters and participants to surface these marginalized communities, navigate their difficulties, address conflicts, disassemble assumptions, and practice sharing stories to connect communities and improve the world.

Let’s share stories and strengthen our community. Use the links below to get involved.

Volunteer - Put on an orange AFP 2017 shirt and be a part of the team! Sign up online and come to the AFP 2017 volunteer meeting on Thursday, September 28, at 12:15 p.m. in Technology Building 160 for more information and pizza.

AFP 2017 schedule

Register

AFP 2017 website

If you have questions or if you would like to schedule a class visit before or after AFP 2017, please contact Eve Everette, AFP assistant director and festival curator, or Drew Kahn, AFP director.

Do you have any students who would benefit from leadership development? Are you a student looking to improve your leadership skill set?

The Next-Level Leadership Certification Program is designed to lead students down the path to being a prominent leader on and off campus. Through the program, students will learn such skills as conflict resolution, time management, planning, and team building, as well as have the opportunity for professional development workshops, such as rsum building. This program is open to all students.

The program includes 13 workshop opportunities spanning a multitude of content areas. Attend six or more sessions and receive a Next Level Leadership Certificate, as well as numerous skills to implement in your life at Buffalo State and beyond.

Please call Student Life at 878-4631 for a schedule of dates and tentative topics that will be covered. All sessions will be held at 12:15 p.m. in Campbell Student Union 415.

If you have questions, please contact the Student Life Office by e-mail at studentlife@buffalostate.edu. Hope to see you there!

A list of faculty and staff members who are licensed New York State notaries is now available on the Buffalo State website. The list is posted on the Professional Staff Caucus (PDF, 184 KB) website and on the Finance and Management website.