The campus community is invited to attend the annual International Fiesta on Saturday, April 4, in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall starting at 6:30 p.m. Food will be served; the event is free and open to the public.

The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) invites you to participate in two opportunities to volunteer and celebrate National Volunteer Week, a national week designated to highlight and celebrate those who volunteer and to inspire and promote service in our daily lives.

Monday, April 13, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Campbell Student Union lobby
On-Campus Service Project: Come and join us to make no-sew fleece blankets for homeless families, greeting cards for women and children battling health issues, and bat houses for Buffalo community gardens.

Thursday, April 16, Noon–5:00 p.m., Cleveland Hall 306
Recognition: Stop by the VSLC to tell us about your volunteering experience and receive a free cup of Tim Hortons coffee.

Can’t make it to either of those events? Try one of these challenges instead:

1. Find out what Code Blue is and make a donation.
2. Share articles about social justice on social media.
3. Recycle, reduce, and reuse your waste.
4. Sign a petition on change.org.
5. Invest in cloth bags for your trips to the grocery store.
6. Spend 10 minutes checking out ORCA’s volunteer postings.
7. Spend a Saturday with Habitat for Humanity.
8. Register for a service-learning class.
9. Find a community partner to volunteer with over the summer.
10. Donate unused clothing items to Goodwill, Amvets, Salvation Army, etc.

Faculty and staff members are invited to attend one of two open forums on the Chancellor’s Applied Learning Initiative on Tuesday, March 31, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 1, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in Cleveland Hall 306. The forums will provide an opportunity for campus input on the definitions for applied learning opportunities, develop the parameters for "what counts" as applied learning opportunities at Buffalo State, and provide input on our campus applied learning commitment. The SUNY Applied Learning Initiative includes SUNY Works, SUNY Serves, SUNY Discovers, and such things as internships, service learning, research, and experiences abroad.

Feel free to stop by for one or both of the forums. Those who cannot attend but would like more information on this initiative may contact Stephanie Zuckerman-Aviles, director of the Career Development Center, for additional information.

The Buffalo State community is invited to join interim CIO Brad Fuster at the first Information Services and Systems (ISAS) Congress on Tuesday, March 31, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in Butler Library 210.

This open and informal meeting will review the mission, vision, and values of ISAS, and discuss the new ISAS governance structure and annual goals as they pertain to the campus's strategic plan. Questions will be answered as time permits.

A workshop for faculty members who teach graduate research methods courses will be held on Monday, April 13, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Butler Library 208. The workshop will cover protocol submission guidelines, levels of review, and tips for making sure the review process is a smooth one. It’s very important for faculty members to attend the workshop given that the IRB has created and amended policies and updated existing forms. If you plan to attend, please e-mail Gina Game, research compliance manager, by Thursday, April 9.

Please join us for the webinar Locating Open Educational Resources (Math, Sciences, Health) today, March 31, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 314.

Why Open? According to a student survey conducted by Florida Virtual Campus in 2012:

• 23 percent of students regularly go without textbooks because of cost.
• 35 percent of students take fewer classes because of textbook costs.
• More than 60 percent do not purchase textbooks at some point because of costs.

The high costs of textbooks are a barrier to student success. To promote the use of Open Education Resources (OERs) and student success, Instructional Resources and Butler Library will host this workshop for faculty members in the math, sciences, and health disciplines. The workshop will highlight high-quality OERs—courses, textbooks, videos, quizzes, and interactive activities—specifically for these subject areas.

Please register online via the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

By popular demand, the Buffalo State Alumni Association has again teamed up with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company to offer a defensive driving class to Buffalo State faculty, staff, alumni, and students on Saturday, April 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 113.

Save money on your auto insurance by taking this class offered through Liberty Mutual. Friends and relatives are also welcome if accompanied by a faculty or staff member, alumnus, or student. The discount is 10 percent off liability insurance in New York State, regardless of one’s auto insurance provider. This course will also remove points from your driver’s license. The cost of the class is $22 per person.

Attendees should park in Lot R-2 or along Rockwell Road and enter Ketchum Hall through the door on the west side of the building (across from Moot Hall).

To enroll, please call Mike DiCioccio, Buffalo State’s local representative, at (716) 997-5312. The registration deadline is Monday, April 13.

Please join us for the next Tech Talk, "Branding Yourself, and Your Research, Using Buffalo State Digital Commons," on Friday, April 24, from 9:00 to 10:00 in Butler Library 314.

The Digital Commons at Buffalo State is an online institutional repository that allows our campus community to preserve, share, and market scholarship, research, and creative activities. Content in the Digital Commons is optimized for web searching and is freely available to view and download from anywhere in the world.

This workshop will demonstrate how to upload content into our Digital Commons and the importance of marketing your scholarship with Buffalo State to maximize impact and readership of your work.

Tech Talk is an opportunity for faculty members to talk with each other about technology on campus. Sessions are facilitated by Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of academic and research technology planning. Members from Information Services and Systems will be on hand to answer faculty questions about access to technology.

Please register online via the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

Please join us for the next Tech Talk, "Using Open Source Tools to Create Media in the Visual Arts," on Friday, April 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in South Wing B26.

Many free and open source software applications are approaching the quality and capabilities of commercial and industry grade software like Adobe's Creative Suite. Brent Patterson, assistant professor of design, will showcase open source software that is mature enough to compete with Adobe products. Free and open source software such as Blender (3-D modeling and rendering), Gimp (image manipulation), Inkscape (vector-based image editing), and Scribus (a desktop publishing application) will be presented and discussed. These tools can be used to create a wide range of multimedia high-resolution images, including photography, desktop publications, video editing, sound design, web design, 3-D animation, video game design, and data.

Tech Talk is an opportunity for faculty members to talk with each other about technology on campus. Sessions are facilitated by Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of academic and research technology planning. Members from Information Services and Systems will be on hand to answer faculty questions about access to technology.

Please register online via the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

Do you use GIS software? Do you wish you had access to GIS software? Did you know that Buffalo State has an official GIS Tech HUB that will help you get access to and use GIS software? 

Mary Perrelli, GIS lab coordinator, and Wende Mix, professor of geography and planning, will present information on the GIS Tech Hub on April 15, from 11:00 a.m. to noon in Technology Building 252.* A discussion will follow the presentation. Representatives from Information Services and Systems will be on hand to listen, answer faculty questions, and set the stage for continued dialogue. This event is free and open to the public.

Please register online via the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

* Please note: Location has been changed from South Wing B26 to Technology Building 252.