The Graduate School will host an information session on its graduate education programs on Thursday, April 20, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210. A formal presentation will begin at 5:00 p.m.

Come and learn about the wide variety of exceptional graduate education programs, meet with faculty members, explore financial aid opportunities, and more. Light refreshments will be served. Please register online. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to explore your options and get ahead.

All full-time and part-time faculty members are invited to participate in an exploratory study of the level of awareness of and engagement in high-impact learning practices. You are eligible to participate in this study if you are a full-time or part-time faculty member at SUNY Buffalo State as of July 1, 2016. If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to reflect on student learning and complete the following survey.

Registration is now open for the 26th annual Conference on Instruction and Technology (CIT), which will be held Tuesday, May 30, to Friday, June 2, on the campus of SUNY Oneonta. CIT is SUNY's largest and most prominent event on instructional technology in educating, providing a forum for faculty, instructional support professionals, and policymakers to present, discuss, and explore innovative avenues for integrating technology into the teaching and learning environment.

Register early and save. Full registration is $250 for SUNY participants who register before Sunday, May 14. After May 14, registration will increase to $300. Please see the list of fees and additional registration options.

Scholarships are available. The SUNY Faculty Advisory Council on Teaching and Technology (FACT²) will award a limited number of $50 scholarships to attend CIT. A Statement of Interest indicating why the applicant should be considered for a FACT2 Scholarship must be sent to Nancy Motondo, conference director, by Wednesday, April 19. A limited number of scholarships for registration will be made available by Buffalo State's Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE). Contact Meghan Pereira, director of instructional design and training, for details by Friday, April 21.

David Abbott, instructional support specialist in the Physics Department, will share the process of how he digitized homework assignments for physics courses during the next session of the FITT Spring Symposium on Tuesday, April 11, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

The FITT Spring Symposium, a signature event of the Fostering Innovation in Teaching with Technology (FITT) Academy, is a series of final presentations given by the academy's group of inaugural faculty participants throughout the month of April.

All presentations are open to faculty, staff, students, and guests.

The Digital Citizens Alliance (DCA) has released a report (PDF, 1.9 MB) finding that stolen credentials from the top 300 largest universities are being sold on the dark web. Protect your Buffalo State credentials. Change your password regularly, and follow the guidelines to set strong passwords.

Thank you to all members of the Buffalo State community who have already volunteered to assist with the Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 13. Many additional volunteer ushers are greatly needed for all three ceremonies to make the 145th Commencement a success and a welcoming celebration for our graduates and their families. Please help honor the Class of 2017 and welcome their guests to campus by registering online to volunteer usher at one or more ceremonies.

Degree candidates will attend ceremonies by schools as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Education, School of the Professions, University College
• 1:00 p.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Arts and Humanities, School of Natural and Social Sciences
• 5:00 p.m. Graduate Ceremony: Graduate School

Please contact Mary Beth Wojtaszek, associate events manager, for assistance.

Also, Commencement marchers who have not yet registered, your participation is also greatly needed. Please register online. Thank you to all for your participation and assistance.

Thank you to the faculty and professional staff members who have already registered to march in Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 13. Many additional marchers for all three ceremonies are greatly needed to make the 145th Commencement a welcoming celebration for the Buffalo State Class of 2017. Please help in honoring our graduates and welcoming their guests to campus by registering online to march.

Degree candidates will attend ceremonies by schools as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Education, School of the Professions, University College
• 1:00 p.m. Baccalaureate Ceremony: School of Arts and Humanities, School of Natural and Social Sciences
• 5:00 p.m. Graduate Ceremony: Graduate School

Faculty members are requested to march with their schools and are also encouraged to march in either additional ceremony. Professional staff members who are not volunteer ushering are encouraged to march in one or more ceremonies of their choice. Please contact Patricia Alessandra, commencement director for academics, with questions.

A note on regalia: The deadline for ordering academic regalia for Commencement with guaranteed hood colors and standard charges is Friday, April 14. Contact Marybeth Keller, general merchandise manager in the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore, to place rental orders. If you are renting regalia for Honors Convocation on Thursday, April 13, you may wear it for Commencement as well and return it on Monday, May 15.

Volunteer ushers are also greatly needed on Commencement day. Please register online.

Have you been wondering how service learning might fit into your course but aren't sure where to start? Join the 80-plus Buffalo State faculty members who have participated in the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) Faculty Fellows Program. 

Faculty fellows must commit to attending a two-day training conducted by national experts on Tuesday, May 23, and Wednesday, May 24. Fellows acquire an in-depth understanding of service-learning pedagogy and are then supported through the process of converting an existing course or creating a new course that incorporates service learning.

Applications are due by Monday, May 15. Details and instructions can be found on the VSLC website. Please contact Joy Guarino, faculty coordinator for service learning, or Laura Hill Rao, VSLC coordinator, with questions.

Elizabeth Semmelhack, senior curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, will speak about her recent book, Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture, on Thursday, April 6, at 4:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West. Her presentation will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A session, light reception, and book signing.

Ms. Semmelhack was recently named one the world's top five game-changing fashion curators by Fashion magazine. She has been featured in articles and interviews and has appeared on numerous television programs, including most recently the new Netflix series Abstract: The Art of Design. She has published a number of books and catalogs including Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heels (2015), Roger Vivier: Process to Perfection (2012), and Heights of Fashion: A History of the Elevated Shoe (2008).

This presentation is supported by the visual arts departments, the Fashion and Textile Technology Department, and the museum studies program.

Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture can be purchased at a 20 percent discount in the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore.

Brent Peterson of Fidelity Investments will be on campus Thursday, April 13, for one-on-one appointments with faculty and staff members. Appointments are required.

Fidelity understands that you are busy managing multiple financial priorities, which can make planning for retirement a challenge. As a leading retirement provider to higher education institutions, Fidelity is committed to helping you make sure you’re on track toward a future that’s unique to you. Fidelity consultations are free to you as an employee benefit.

Mr. Peterson is ready to help you address many questions, including these:

• Am I investing properly?
• Am I on track with my retirement savings?
• How do I bring my retirement savings together?
• How do I set up a SUNY ORP account with Fidelity Investments?

Please consider bringing relevant account statements and any paperwork to help address your questions and needs.

To schedule a free one-on-one appointment, please call 844-FOR-SUNY or register online.