The Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) will host three informational and recruitment sessions during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.):

• Thursday, February 9, Science and Mathematics Complex 161
• Thursday, February 16, Science and Mathematics Complex 178
• Thursday, February 23, Science and Mathematics Complex 178

CSTEP is a grant-funded program sponsored by the New York State Education Department. The purpose is to increase the number of underrepresented (African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaskan native) students who are pursuing professional licensure and careers in mathematics, science, technology, or health-related fields. Students who participate in this program are provided with book vouchers, paid research opportunities, faculty mentors, and partial Kaplan scholarships along with enrichment workshops and activities to aid with graduate school preparation. Please inform any student you feel qualifies for this program.

For more information, please contact the CSTEP office, at 878-4197.

RITE is pleased to announce that in June 2017, Butler Library 316 will be reconfigured as a team-based BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) active learning classroom. Thirty of the 36 laptops will be removed to permit students to connect and use their own HDMI-compatible devices (laptops, phones, tablets).

Personal devices are a significant part of our students’ lives, and embedding their use within academic courses provides the opportunity for digital literacy and fluency. Engaging students on their own devices increases flexibility while still allowing the creation and sharing of content. From fall 2017 onward, Butler 316 will be an active learning classroom instead of an active learning lab. (A computer lab is defined as having a college-owned device at each student station.)

The existing display monitors and team-based furniture will stay in place. One college-owned laptop will remain at each table to accommodate students who may not have their own devices. The instructor’s computer and smart board will also stay. The Registrar's Office will continue to schedule the space for academic classes; Events Management will continue to schedule the space for nonacademic and one-time needs.

If you have questions about these changes, please contact Melaine Kenyon, director of technology support services, 878-6679.

Manufacturers have ended the production of VCRs, and repairing these machines is becoming difficult as parts are increasingly unavailable. VHS is now considered an obsolete medium. To allow faculty members time to locate and incorporate replacement content or transition content in this medium to a different format, RITE Technology Support Services will begin to phase out working VHS players in a small portion of classrooms.

VCRs will no longer be included in new or renovated classrooms, though VHS players and VCR/DVD combination units are still available in most smart classrooms and can be scheduled using the room attribute "VHS.” DVDs can still be played through the computer in all generally scheduled smart classrooms.

For more information and to learn how you can prepare for this transition, please visit the Butler Library website.

Buffalo State students, both undergraduate and graduate, are invited to participate in the eighth annual New York State Business Plan Competition. The state-sponsored contest includes a top prize of $100,000 and many additional prizes starting at $10,000. Students do not need to be business majors to compete. The Small Business Development Center will assist each student in the preparation of his or her business plan and presentation. Please advise interested students to attend an information session about the competition on Tuesday, February 14, at 12:15 p.m. in Technology Building 160. For more information, please e-mail Susan McCartney, director of the Small Business Development Center.

The Advising Implementation Team (AIT) was convened in fall 2016 by the provost to lead the campus in developing a plan for mandatory advisement beginning in fall 2017 for J-Term and spring 2018 registration. The AIT has been asked to work with academic departments and professional advisers to determine the best strategy for each program in concert with the college’s overall goal of every student receiving high-quality academic advisement every semester.  

The team is conducting online surveys in January for faculty, professional staff, and students to solicit information to assist in the planning process. If you are an assigned adviser in Banner, you should have received an e-mail on January 25 requesting that you complete the advisers' advisement survey. If you have not done so, please complete the survey by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, February 9. Thank you for your feedback.

All members of the Teacher Education Unit (TEU) are invited to attend the Teacher Education Council (TEC) meeting on Friday, February 10, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the Carmine A. Grande Conference Room, Cleveland Hall 418. Current issues of teacher education and revision of the TEC bylaws will be discussed. Provost Perreault is expected to attend this TEC meeting.

Interested in applying for SUNY IITG funds? Please note that one big change this year is that you may apply for planning funds. Please view the presentation slides (PDF, 5.8 MB) from SUNY's Office of the Provost. If you would like to apply, please contact John Draeger, interim director of faculty development; Meghan Pereira, senior instructional designer; or Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of academic and research technology planning.

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Facilitating and Structuring Effective Meetings" on Wednesday, April 12, from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Butler Library 181B.

Meetings can sometimes feel unproductive, inefficient, boring, or unorganized; however, meeting leaders can use effective facilitation skills, an actionable agenda, role clarity, and structured content to make meetings fun, productive, and meaningful. This workshop will help participants develop and practice effective meeting facilitation and delivery strategies.

Presented by Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development.

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

Please join us for the professional development workshop "Communicating Effectively in Workplace Groups and Teams" on Wednesday, April 5, from 9:00 a.m. to noon in Butler Library 181B.

This workshop explores the importance of communicating effectively in groups and teams, specifically focusing on the workplace environment. Participants will view, analyze, and discuss segments of the Hollywood classic 12 Angry Men to better understand key group concepts, styles of leadership, and types of power in groups. Workshop participants will learn

• how to engage in effective discussion for decision making, problem solving, and policy recommendation;
• the role of conflict in groups;
• methods for effectively structuring group and committee tasks;
• strategies for communicating with multiple generations in the workplace.

Presented by Bruce Bryski, associate professor of communication.

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

The Research and Creativity Council Incentive Program is accepting applications until 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 28, for funds to promote faculty creativity and research. Please submit completed applications (PDF, 257 KB) to the Sponsored Programs Pre-Award and Contract Services Office in Bishop Hall 24. Three council members have been appointed to review all applications received by the above deadline.

Incentive funds administered by the Research and Creativity Council are intended to promote faculty creativity and research. Their ultimate goal is to generate additional funded programs. At the end of the award period, recipients are required to submit a report documenting the use of the funds. They are then required to submit a grant proposal within the following year to an outside sponsoring agency through the Sponsored Programs Pre-Award and Contract Services Office. Submitting a proposal through the Buffalo State College Foundation does not meet this requirement. Recipients are also obligated to participate in the Faculty and Staff Fall Forum, which takes place in October.

Expenditures considered for support under this program include travel to consult with a funding source, secretarial assistance, student assistance, consultation with grant specialists, preparation of specialized support materials for proposal (e.g., graphs, drawings, resource books), release time, and any other expense that can be justified. Funds cannot be requested for the purchase of computers, laptops, etc. Also, it is not the council’s intention to directly pay an individual for writing a proposal.