A presentation of an analysis and recommendations regarding the water quality at the Science and Mathematics Complex will be held on Friday, December 5, at 2:00 p.m. in Science Building 272. A presentation by Special Pathogens Laboratory will be followed by an open forum.

The Office Supply Swap has been rescheduled as follows:

Monday, December 1
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Drop-off day. Bring your supplies to Business Services, Moore Hall 124*

Tuesday, December 2
9:00 a.m.–noon
Supply shopping for departments that donated

Tuesday, December 2
Noon–3:00 p.m.
Supply shopping for all campus departments

Clean out your storage spaces, desks, and filing cabinets and bring your unneeded supplies. This is also a great opportunity to check out the surplus furniture warehouse. If you've already dropped off your supplies, they have been documented, and you are all set.

Questions? Contact Lauren Bostaph, ext. 6835.

*Note: The location of the swap is Moore Hall warehouse (G2 on the campus map), not Moore Complex.

The 14th annual Holiday Open Studios and Galleries takes place Friday, December 5, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Local arts studios and galleries will open their doors, providing an opportunity to experience the diversity and excitement generated by over 150 local artists and artisans. The Burchfield Penney is happy to be part of this exciting weekend event.

Artists at the Burchfield Penney are Ani Hoover, Alison E. Kurek, Art FX Glass (Catherine O'Connor), Artyard Studio (Thom Hooper), Avalon (Paul Morgan), big gurl stuff, Blessings by Nature (Paula D'Amco), Buffalo Art Prints (Eta Rottenberg), Buffalo Etchings, Buffalo History Buff (Lauren and Eric Woods), BuffaloGalOrganics, illusions 3rd eye productions (Chary L. Robbins), David Day, DaVoria (Dawn DiGesare), dna jewelry designs (Donna Angelo), Wood Cutting Boards (Ed Jakubowski), Evolve Designs Jewelry (Kenia Ciraulo), Jackie Albarella, Zenjoy (Jackie LoVullo), (Antinomians Designs), Julia Skop, Little Wood People by Barbara Hart/Studio Hart, Michelle DaRin Jewelry, Killeleart (Mike Killelea), missy crowell, Mundo Images (Ann Peterson), Photos by Darleen (Darleen Stry), Raveloe Fibers (Linda Collignon), Redman Moccasins (Rick Dittmar), Roadkiln (Shaun Silverwood), Ronna Mink, Sarah Blackman, Sean Huntington, Temi Kucinski, Just Beachy (Sandra Amoia), Everyday Earthware (Pottery by Sarah M. Cozzemera), Faces of Buffalo Mosaics, Aremel Soaps (Robin Lenhard), Evette Slaughter, Woodman's Toy Farm (Woodman Farms) and Junko McGee.

And more artists and holiday specials are featured in the Museum Store. Jerry will be cooking up specials in Burchfield's Café, including his world famous egg nog! Shop local this holiday season and support the Burchfield Penney and the artists of Western New York.

More information is available at www.burchfieldpenney.org.

Jeffrey Otterstein from VALIC Financial Advisors will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State staff and faculty members on Tuesday, December 2. Sessions are by appointment only between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210B.

Gain a greater level of confidence in your retirement portfolio. To schedule an appointment, please register online.

The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is available for 2015 to eligible CSEA, PEF, UUP, and M/C employees. This program allows eligible employees to exchange previously accrued annual (vacation) and/or personal leave for a credit toward the cost of their New York state health insurance on a biweekly basis. Sick leave credit cannot be exchanged under this program.

To participate in PEP for the 2015 plan year, eligible employees must submit an election form to the Employee Benefits Office, Cleveland Hall 410, by Friday, November 28. Participants currently enrolled in PEP must submit a new election form to participate in the 2015 program.
 
The PEP description, including eligibility requirements and enrollment forms, is available on the Human Resource Management website or in Cleveland Hall 410.  

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at ext. 4821 with questions or for additional information.

NYSHIP enrollees in the Pre-tax Contribution Program (PTCP) have until Sunday, November 30, to make the following changes for 2015 without a qualifying event:

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

Note: Unless you have a qualifying event, a waiting period still applies to enroll in health insurance for the first time, or to add previously eligible dependents to your coverage. For additional information, visit the SUNY benefits website.

Employees who wish to make the above changes to their coverage are encouraged to complete and return the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form (PDF) to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible.

Eligible NYSHIP enrollees have 30 days from the date the 2015 rates are published to

• change their NYSHIP health plan; employees may choose from the Empire Plan or one of the health maintenance organizations: Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY or Independent Health;
• change from a NYSHIP health plan to the Opt-Out Program;
• change from the Opt-Out Program to a NYSHIP health plan.

The Employee Benefits Office will announce the new health plan rates and deadline dates in the Daily Bulletin as soon as they are published. The New York State Employee Benefits Division will also mail information about the 2015 rates and deadline dates to enrolled employees' home addresses. The 2015 Choices booklet, a comparison of the insurance plans, will be available on the Human Resource Management website by early December.

Representatives from the Empire Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY, and Independent Health will be at the NYS Health Benefits Fair on Thursday, December 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210 to answer questions about current health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2015.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at ext. 4821 with questions.

Nominations will be accepted through Monday, February 9, 2015, for the 2014–2015 SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Classified Service. This SUNY system-level award recognizes superior performance and extraordinary achievement by classified-service employees. Members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving colleagues.

The nomination form and award guidelines are available online. Thank you.

As you are aware, the severe weather conditions have delayed the distribution of paychecks for payday November 19. Funds for direct deposits should have been deposited into bank accounts on time on Wednesday, November 19.

Buffalo State paychecks and deposit advice statements are delivered via UPS from Albany, and they have been held up in the UPS depot in Buffalo. We anticipate that once the travel ban is lifted, the checks will be delivered; however, we cannot speak to UPS’s delivery date and time.

Once the college reopens and checks are delivered, we will make paychecks and deposit advice statements available as soon as possible (immediately). If the college reopens and paychecks still have not delivered, we will review individual cases for a payroll advance.

M. Scott Goodman, chair and associate professor of chemistry, will present “Two-Step Spin Crossover Behavior in the Iron(II) Complex of Tris(3-methylpyrazolyl)methane: What Could This Title Possibly Mean?” today, November 21, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. Discussion, wine, and cheese will follow. We urge all interested faculty and staff members, graduate students, and undergraduates to attend.

The Buffalo State Rotaract Club will hold a Thanksgiving Bake Sale on Tuesday, November 25, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union. Grab some delicious baked goods for your trip home for the holidays. Everything is wrapped and ready to go for $1 apiece. There will be a raffle basket with some amazing goodies, including a Penzey’s Spices herb set for your holiday cooking needs, a Kohl’s $25 gift card, and...Sabres tickets! (December 11, 7:00 p.m. game against the Flames). Tickets are only $1 each!

Rotaract members will also be traveling around campus, so no need to leave your warm and cozy building. Really want some goodies? E-mail us at rotaractclub@buffalostate.edu and we will be sure to stop by your building.

We thank you for your continued support of Buffalo State Rotaract. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the club’s growth and volunteer opportunities.