Academic Affairs is pleased to announce a request for proposals for the E. O. Smith Arts and Humanities Faculty Development Fund. These competitive, peer-reviewed awards of $2,000–$7,000 are allocated to support opportunities for the professional development of full-time faculty members in departments included in the disciplines encompassed in the arts and the humanities. Eligible candidates for this award must be full-time faculty members at Buffalo State College and be members of departments included in the humanities (art history, English, history, literature, modern and classical languages, museum studies, philosophy, religious studies) or the arts (art, art conservation, art education, dance, design, fine art, music, theater).

All candidates will be required to submit a proposal to the selection committee detailing how they would use the award and include a budget detailing how the award would be used. Funds may be used only for expenses directly related to professional development, including research, supplies used in research, and publication of research, travel, or other similar professional activities. Funds may not be directed toward internal administrative or social functions or for personal use. Projects consistent with the mission and goals of the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center will be given preference.

Information about the fund and application process is posted on Blackboard. Complete applications are due Thursday, November 10.

SUNY will permanently shut down the SUNY Management Resource Tool (SMRT) on Saturday, October 1. The Financial Business Intelligence (BI) environment will be the only financial reporting tool available to users after October 1.  

Users will have access to the same accounts in BI as they did in SMRT. Please send any account security access questions or requests to ifrrechargeacct@buffalostate.edu.

For convenience, self-service training has been made available to users at Buffalo State. Training information can be found at http://bifinancial.buffalostate.edu/training. Training will cover how to sign in to BI, various financial dashboard pages, and reference and general usage information, all via video format.

Initial July 1, 2016, Departmental Budget Allocations for state-appropriated accounts are now posted. Please send any account security access questions or requests to ifrrechargeacct@buffalostate.edu. Other questions about initial allocations may be directed to the Budget Office, 878-4312.

Please join SEFA/United Way honorary campaign chair Melanie Perreault and the campaign committee on Monday, October 3, at 12:15 p.m. in the Social Hall, Campbell Student Union, when President Katherine Conway-Turner will launch the official State Employee Federated Appeals (SEFA) Campaign with assistance from special guests from the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.

Mark your calendars and enjoy refreshments while learning about the needs in our community and the ways that your SEFA contribution can help.

Solicitors will gather before the kickoff at 11:15 a.m. to receive their packets, discuss changes to the campaign, and hear words of advice on how to conduct a successful campaign.

From the Chair of the College Senate
All meetings of the College Senate will be recorded and posted to the College Senate website via podcast beginning with the fall 2016 semester. Senate meeting minutes and summaries will continue to be distributed to the Senate with the monthly Senate packet and posted to the College Senate website.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next College Senate meeting will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 14, in Butler Library 210. The agenda will be posted to the Senate website on October 6.

All senators must sign in and take their name placards before taking their seats to ensure that proper attendance is recorded.

The College Senate meeting is an open forum, and all are welcome. Visitors and guests must sit in the designated areas, as senators have priority seating.

Today is the last day to enroll in the 2017 NYS Flex Spending Account (FSA). The account offers two benefits: the Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount) and the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAcount).

The HCSAccount allows employees to set aside from $100 to $2,550 annually in pretax salary to pay for health-care expenses not reimbursed by health insurance.

The DCAAccount allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 annually in pretax salary for eligible child care, elder care, or disabled dependent care expenses.

2017 Plan Year Employer Contribution Rates:
If your salary is ... the employer contribution is ...
Under $30,000 ................................................$800
$30,001 - $40,000 ...........................................$700
$40,001 - $50,000 ...........................................$600
$50,001 - $60,000 ...........................................$500
$60,001 - $70,000 ...........................................$400
Over $70,000 ..................................................$300
GSEU Employees only (regardless of salary) ....$600

Employees enrolling in the DCAAccount will not see their employer contribution displayed when enrolling. The employer contribution will be applied to employees’ elections and will be reported on their confirmation letter following open enrollment. When enrolling, employees should enter the full amount they wish to have in their DCAAccount. The full amount includes any employee contribution and any employer contribution for which they may be eligible.

Employees who do not work 26 pay periods should consider electing a shorter time frame for their deductions so they do not lose coverage while off the payroll. For example, faculty members who are not paid through the summer should elect to have all deductions taken in the spring semester in order to have coverage for all of 2017.

Participants currently enrolled in the HCSAccount or DCAAccount must re-enroll to continue benefits in 2017.

Paperless enrollment is quick, easy, and secure. For program details or to enroll in the FSA, visit www.flexspend.ny.gov or call the FSA hotline at (800) 358-7202.

Your enrollment must be completed by 11:59 p.m. today. This deadline is strictly enforced.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next College Senate meeting will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, October 14, in Butler Library 210. The agenda will be posted to the Senate website on October 6.

All senators must sign in and take their name placards before taking their seats to ensure that proper attendance is recorded.

The College Senate meeting is an open forum, and all are welcome. Visitors and guests must sit in the designated areas, as senators have priority seating.

From the Chief of University Police
The University Police Department at Buffalo State and the City of Buffalo Police Department are looking for a suspect in an attempted burglary case that occurred Wednesday morning at the off-campus residence of a female Buffalo State student. The suspect is also being investigated for stalking on campus earlier Tuesday evening.
 
The suspect, Willie E. Caldwell (view photo online: http://police.buffalostate.edu/alert), attempted to force his way into the student’s off-campus residence around 1:00 a.m. Wednesday morning. The student yelled for assistance and the suspect fled the scene. The student was unharmed.
 
The student encountered the suspect on campus earlier in the evening in E. H. Butler Library, when the suspect—who is not a student at the college—approached her at a study table. The student left the library and walked home, only to find the suspect standing outside of her residence.
 
If you encounter the suspect, immediately call University Police at (716) 878-6333 if you are on campus, or call 911 from off campus. If you have any information that may be of assistance, please call University Police or the City of Buffalo Police “D” District office at (716) 851-4413.
                                                                                       
UPD reminds all members of the campus community to be aware of their surroundings at all times both on and off campus. Additional personal safety tips are listed on the University Police website at http://police.buffalostate.edu/safetymeasures. Students, faculty, and staff are also encouraged to take advantage of the UPD safe escort programs. More information is available online at http://police.buffalostate.edu/safeescort.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The first College Senate meeting of the fall 2016 semester will be held tomorrow, September 9, at 3:00 p.m. in Butler Library 210. All senators must sign in and take their name placards before taking their seats.

The College Senate meeting is an open forum, and all are welcome. Visitors and guests must sit in the designated areas, as senators have priority seating.

The meeting agenda (PDF, 128 KB) is posted on College Senate website.