Campus departments and offices are invited to add fliers or other information about their areas to the new student welcome bags that will be distributed during spring Orientation. If you are interested in having your information added to the student bags, please bring 500 fliers to the New Student and Family Programs office, Porter Hall 14K, by Wednesday, November 30. Thank you.

The fall 2016 Conversations in and out of the Disciplines series continues Friday, November 18, when Ann C. Colley, SUNY Distinguished Professor of English, presents "Recollecting the Future: Poland, Ukraine, and Coleridge," at 3:30 p.m. in Rockwell Hall 124. Please note the time and location change of this event: the talk will follow the Arts and Humanities meeting.

Please mark your calendars for the concluding talk of the semester when Ted Schmidt, associate professor of economics and finance, will present “Hungry Capital: How Wall Street Impacts the Price of Food” on Friday, December 2, at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. Everyone is welcome.

The Institute for Community Health Promotion Collaborative Research Initiative (ICHP/CRI) is accepting graduate and undergraduate student applications for its Public School Mentoring Program for the fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters. Applicants must be enrolled full time at Buffalo State College, have excellent written and oral communication skills, and have previous experience tutoring or working with groups of children in an educational setting. Undergraduate students must be at least second-semester sophomores with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Interested students should forward their current rsum to Gail Daniels, senior manager, ICHP/CRI.

Faculty members, help your students succeed! Used rental books are students' most cost-effective and preferred purchase option. We want to get and keep as many used books as possible on our shelves. You can help us obtain used inventory and hang on to our used rental returns by submitting your course material information today. To comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act, we are required to have book information available to our students at registration. The bookstore website is the college's source for this information. More important, our students rely on this information when budgeting and planning for the upcoming semester.

Please visit the Faculty Enlight website to submit your course material information today.

Program leaders of the International Professional Development Schools (IPDS) Germany program will provide two information sessions for students interested in a 2½-week teach-and-study-abroad opportunity in Stuttgart, Germany, this summer.

Wednesday, November 9, 3:00–4:00 p.m., Bacon Hall 305
Thursday, November 10, 12:30–1:30 p.m., Bacon Hall 305

Both graduate and undergraduate students are eligible, even if they plan to graduate in May 2017. Preference will be given to education majors. Space provided, the program will also be open to Buffalo area educators interested in learning more about German culture and education. Applications are due Wednesday, November 30.

Germany for Educators participants will observe and teach in local schools; examine the German education system and teacher certification process; live with host families; and tour local communities, galleries, museums, and historical sites.

Interested students who are unable to attend one of these sessions may e-mail Tamara Horstman-Riphahn, executive assistant to the dean of the School of Education, for additional information. Thank you for spreading the word about this rewarding opportunity.

In an effort to bring all Smart boards and Smart interactive monitors on campus up to speed with the latest version of the available software, our staff with be updating to Smart Notebook version 16.1 in classrooms with these devices on Friday, November 11.

Because different versions of the software are currently installed in the various classrooms on campus, you may notice minor changes or more noticeable updates. Please keep in mind these main features:

1. You must double-click on the “Smart Board" icon (PC only) on the desktop for the board to work with the pens.
2. The “Floating Tools” toolbar will be replaced by the new Smart Ink interface.

The Instructional Design and Training team has scheduled several Smart Board Open Labs in Bulger Communication Center to give faculty members the opportunity to see the new software before the change takes place. Please register or just drop by during the scheduled times if you are interested.

If you have any questions about the new version of the software, please contact Todd Benzin, education technology specialist, 878-4538. If you have technical issues, please contact the RITE Support Desk, 878-4357.

As winter arrives, everyone is encouraged to prepare for freezing temperatures and slick surface conditions. Dress in layers; wear hats and warm shoes with good treads. Equip cars with thermal blankets, first-aid kits, nonperishable rations, a snow shovel, and an ice scraper—and keep gas tanks full. Maintain a full supply of medications.

The college’s first priority is to clear roadway access for fire and ambulance vehicles and to provide accessibility for the mobility impaired. Please report your individual mobility or accessibility needs to Campus Services. Weather responders will make every effort to keep necessary pathways clear. Consult the campus map (PDF, 2.6 MB) for accessible parking and building entrance locations.

To report hazardous snow or ice conditions, please call 878-6111 or e-mail sidewalkaccess@buffalostate.edu. Thank you for your attention, and have a safe and happy holiday season!

The campus-based scholarship portal, AcademicWorks, is now open and accepting applications for a small number of spring 2017 scholarships. AcademicWorks will be available for application through Wednesday, November 30.

As referenced in the 2016–2021 strategic plan, Buffalo State has a tremendous story to tell, and we must renew efforts to ensure that our story is heard. The college’s website—the virtual front door to the campus—receives millions of visits each year from myriad constituents. The new strategic plan calls on us to determine the best use for the website and re-focus its design accordingly. Please take this short survey to help us assess the current Buffalo State website and to determine future use, maximizing value to different user groups.

The fall 2016 grading window will close Wednesday, December 21, at 9:00 p.m. Detailed documentation for entering grades (PDF, 191 KB) is available on the Banner website. Assistance is available by calling the RITE Support Desk at 878-4357 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have any questions about grading, please call the Registrar's Office at 878-4811. We have provided a grading tip sheet (PDF, 617 KB) to assist you in successful grading.