The NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) has issued a reminder regarding regulations for state employees contracting with state agencies. Employees who have outside businesses and wish to sell their goods or services to a state agency should be aware of the restrictions that are outlined in this reminder to avoid potential fines associated with violations of the Public Officers Law. Certain restrictions apply to the spouses of state employees as well. Questions about the Public Officers Law should be referred to Susan Earshen, ethics officer.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The final College Senate meeting for the fall 2017 semester will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 8, in Butler Library 210. Please note the one hour earlier start time to accommodate the Campus Holiday Party. The meeting agenda will be posted on the College Senate website on December 1.

Senate meetings are recorded and posted as podcasts on the College Senate website. The schedule for all College Senate meeting dates is also posted. Please visit the website to catch up on past Senate news, listen to podcasts of past meetings, or review meeting summaries. The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211. Please stop by the office, call 878-5139, or e-mail Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with questions or for general information.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The final College Senate meeting for the fall 2017 semester will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 8, in Butler Library 210. Please note the one hour earlier start time to accommodate the Campus Holiday Party. The meeting agenda will be posted on the College Senate website on December 1.

Senate meetings are recorded and posted as podcasts on the College Senate website. The schedule for all College Senate meeting dates is also posted. Please visit the website to catch up on past Senate news, listen to podcasts of past meetings, or review meeting summaries. The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211. Please stop by the office, call 878-5139, or e-mail Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with questions or for general information.

An open forum on general education revisions will be held on Tuesday, November 21, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South 2. The forum is open to all Buffalo State faculty and staff. Members of the General Education Task Force will present their findings and plans for the future of general education at Buffalo State, as well as solicit feedback from the campus community. A second open forum will be held Tuesday, December 5, at the same time and location.

Faculty and staff members are invited to attend the following presentations by candidates for the position of director of undergraduate admissions. All presentations will take place in Moot Hall 113. Please note: a fourth candidate has been added.

Candidate 3 – Friday, November 17, at 10:30 a.m.

Candidate 4 – Friday, November 17, at noon

Degree Works will be off-line for system maintenance from 5:00 to 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 22.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next College Senate meeting for the fall 2017 semester will be held tomorrow, November 10, at 3:00 p.m. in Butler Library 210. The meeting agenda is now posted on the College Senate website. Senate meetings are recorded and posted as podcasts on the College Senate website. The schedule for all College Senate meeting dates is also posted. Please visit the website to catch up on past Senate news, listen to podcasts of past meetings, or review meeting summaries. The College Senate Office is located in Cleveland Hall 211. Please stop by the office, call 878-5139, or e-mail Vincent Masci, assistant to the College Senate, with questions or for general information.

Faculty and staff members are invited to attend the following presentations by candidates for the position of director of undergraduate admissions. All presentations will take place in Moot Hall 113.

Candidate 1 – Wednesday, November 8, at 12:30 p.m.

Candidate 2 – Tuesday, November 14, at 1:00 p.m.

Candidate 3 – Friday, November 17, at 10:30 a.m.

Each November, enrollees in the NYS Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) may elect to participate or decline participation in the Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) for the upcoming plan year. During November, current PTCP enrollees may also make the following changes to their coverage without a qualifying event. These changes affect NYSHIP deductions for the upcoming plan year. November 1–30 is the only time you can change your Pre-Tax Contribution Program election.

• Change pre-tax status for health insurance deductions
• Change from family to individual coverage
• Voluntarily cancel health insurance

If you are enrolled in PTCP, your share of the health insurance premium is deducted from your wages before taxes are withheld, which may lower your taxes. Enrollment in PTCP also restricts changes that can be made to NYSHIP coverage (e.g., switching to individual coverage) to situations in which a qualifying event takes place. Not enrolling in PTCP allows greater flexibility to make changes to NYSHIP coverage throughout the plan year.

Your pay stub shows whether or not you are enrolled in PTCP. If you are enrolled in PTCP, your pay stub shows "Regular Before-Tax Health" in the "Before-Tax Deductions" section. If you are not enrolled in PTCP, your pay stub shows "Regular After-Tax Health" in the "After-Tax Deductions" section. Your health insurance premium is deducted from your wages after taxes are withheld.

For more information about PTCP and the allowable coverage changes while enrolled in PTCP, please refer to the PTCP Change Chart and Fact Sheet (PFD, 129 KB).

If you wish to change your PTCP selection for 2018, you must file a completed NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form (PFD, 150 KB) with the Benefits Office, Cleveland Hall 410, by Thursday, November 30. Please be sure to complete sections 1–9 and 13.

No action is required to keep your current PTCP status.

Beginning Monday, November 13, duplicating and postage recharges will no longer be processed as daily transactions. Instead, recharges will be transmitted weekly and will appear in SUNY’s Financial Business Intelligence (BI) system with a duplicating or postage date range description. Please contact College and Auxiliary Accounting at 878-3086 or ifrrechargeacct@buffalostate.edu with questions.