The Buffalo State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will conduct a 90-minute search-and-rescue training drill on Tuesday, June 16, at approximately 9:00 a.m.

Several CERT members, wearing green vests and hard hats and carrying backpacks, will participate in the drill, and the search may involve several buildings on campus. Every effort will be made to prevent any disruption to normal campus routines.

If you see CERT members in your building, do not be concerned. This is a practice drill.

Committee interest forms will be available on the College Senate website beginning July 1 for those who are interested in serving on one or more of the eight Senate standing committees. The deadline for submissions will be Friday, August 21. Standing committee chairs reserve the right to determine committee membership and make all membership decisions. Not all standing committees may need members.

2015–2016 Senate Standing Committee Chairs
Academic Plan, Jason Grinnell
Budget and Staff Allocations, Frederick Floss
Bylaws and Elections, Kevin Williams
Curriculum, Marc Bayer
Faculty and Staff Welfare, Amitra Wall
Instruction and Research, Scott Goodman
Standards for Students, Heather Maldonado
Student Welfare (vice chair), Amy Rosen-Brand (committee chair is a student senator elected at the first or second Senate meeting each fall)

A Google grant has been awarded to faculty members Sarbani Banerjee (project director), Neal Mazur, Ramona Santa Maria, and Barbara Sherman of the Computer Information Systems Department to host a three-day CS4HS (Computer Science for High School) workshop June 30–July 2 for in-service teachers from Western New York high schools. With the goal of broadening participation in computing, participating teachers will learn various concepts of computer science and strategies for attracting students to computing. If you know of any in-service high school mathematics, science, or technology teachers who might be interested in attending, please encourage them to visit the CS4HS website and register for the workshop.

A walk-in session for faculty members who need help in entering their faculty annual reports on Doolli will be held today, Thursday, June 11, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Butler Library 314.

Join us to celebrate Buffalo State Day at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York, on Wednesday, June 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Observe the students in the 2015 Buffalo State Archaeological Field School as they excavate a portion of a War of 1812 officers’ barracks. Tour the French Castle, enjoy the grounds, and see the Visitor Center. Historical demonstrations run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Buffalo State students, faculty, staff, and their families can visit free of charge with a valid Buffalo State ID card.

On the second Friday of every month, the Burchfield Penney hosts something great, thanks to the support of M&T Bank. With openings and happy hours, programs, concerts, screenings, and other special events, visitors experience the best of the Burchfield Penney every Second Friday. Gallery admission is free all day (10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.), with special events and programs beginning at 5:30 p.m.

5:30–7:30 p.m. The Tins perform in the Front Yard at the Burchfield Penney Art Center

5:30–7:30 p.m. Drop-in art-making workshops in the Front Yard and in the Studio Classroom

7:30 p.m. Screening: Paul Sharits by Francois Miron (free for Burchfield Penney members; $5 for "not yet" members)

For more information on June's M&T Second Friday, please visit the Burchfield Penney website.

Banner maintenance will be performed between 4:00 and 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10.  Access to Banner INB and Self Service Banner (SSB) may be interrupted intermittently during this maintenance window.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please contact the Computing Help Desk, 878-4357, with questions.

The Small Business Development Center will present “Survive and Thrive: Essentials for Starting Your Own Business,” a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Tuesday, June 16, from 8:30 a.m. until noon in the Burchfield Penney Art Center (second floor). Specific topics include creating a business plan; competition analysis; and tax, legal, and insurance issues. The workshop is free for Buffalo State College faculty, staff, students, and alumni and U.S. military veterans and $20 for all others.

Registration will take place immediately before the workshop, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. To register in advance, please call the SBDC at 878-4030.

TIAA-CREF representative Richard Thompson will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on the following days:

Wednesday, June 24 – Butler Library 210B
Tuesday, July 14 – Butler Library 210B
Thursday, August 6 – Butler Library 210B
Tuesday, August 25 – Cleveland Hall 416
Wednesday, September 9 – Butler Library 210B
Thursday, September 24 – Butler Library 210B

Sessions are by appointment only, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Gain a greater level of confidence in your retirement portfolio. To schedule an appointment, please visit the TIAA-CREF website or call (800) 732-8353 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

The NYS & CSEA Partnership for Education and Training is pleased to announce two new online learning certificate programs for CSEA-represented New York State employees.

The Interpersonal Communication Certificate Program is a learning opportunity for employees who want to improve relationships with their peers and supervisors.

The Microsoft Outlook 2013 Certificate Program is a learning opportunity for employees who want to enhance their knowledge and improve their skills in the Microsoft Outlook application.

Employees can apply for one or both of these programs between June 1 and July 1. To earn a certificate, participants must successfully complete all required courses between June 1 and December 31, 2015. Employees may take courses at home or at work with supervisory approval.

Space in these statewide programs is limited. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. For further information, please contact the partnership at (518) 486-7814 or learning@nyscseapartnership.org.