The Higher Education Administration Department will host the HESAA/SPA Alumni, Family, and Friends Reunion today, November 14, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Resurgence Brewing Company, 1250 Niagara St., Buffalo, NY 14213. The cost is $25; all proceeds will go to an existing fund that is used to assist students and faculty with research projects.

All HESAA/SPA alumni, family, and friends are welcome to attend this event. Register on the Buffalo State Alumni Association's website. We hope to see you there! Please call the HEA Department at ext. 3789 with questions.

Please join us for the fourth presentation in our annual Philosophy and Humanities Fall 2014 Faculty Colloquia, "Transformations of Populism in Western Europe: The Ideology of Producers and Parasites from the French Revolution to Fascism," presented by John Abromeit, associate professor of history, on Monday, November 17, at 2:00 p.m. in Bishop Hall 242. The commentator will be Collin Zastempowski, '16, philosophy major and French minor.

Abstract
In an influential political pamphlet written on the eve of the French Revolution, Abbe Sieyes mobilized commoners against the aristocracy and monarchy by characterizing the former as virtuous producers and the latter as immoral parasites. This discourse of "producers and parasites" was adopted by influential French socialists in the nineteenth century and eventually found its way into early-twentieth-century fascist movements in France, Italy, and Germany. How and why was it possible for fascist movements in the early twentieth century to so effectively employ progressive populist ideas from the nineteenth century? A closer examination of the history of the discourse of "producers and parasites" can help us answer this question and can also alert us to the dangers of this discourse, which continues to play an important role in some contemporary right and left wing populist movements.

The Office Supply Swap has been rescheduled as follows because of the winter weather:

Wednesday, November 19
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Drop-off day. Bring your supplies to Business Services, Moore Hall 124*

Thursday, November 20
9:00 a.m.–noon
Supply shopping for departments that donated

Thursday, November 20
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.

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 Institute for Community Health Promotion (ICHP) is accepting donations for the U.S. Marine Corps' 2014 Toys for Tots campaign. Please bring new, unwrapped toys to either the Center for Health and Social Research (CHSR), located in Classroom Building A203, or the Center for Development of Human Services (CDHS), located in the Pierce Arrow Building, 1695 Elmwood Avenue. We will collect toys now through Friday, December 12. The donation boxes will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The mission of the Toys for Tots program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation's most valuable natural resources—our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.

ICHP is proud to support this worthy cause. Last year, we collected more than 300 toys. Let's see if we can beat this mark. For more information, contact Rob Skutnik at CHSR, 878-6137, or Latisha Robinson at CDHS, 796-2079 ext. 234.

Thanks for your support!

Please join the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Evolutionary Trends and Ecological Drivers of Eye Reduction in Parasites," presented by Katharina Dittmar de la Cruz, associate professor in the University at Buffalo's Department of Biological Sciences, on Thursday, November 20, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in Science Building 272.

Students, staff, and faculty are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

Please join the Communication Department, Buffalo State, and the local community to celebrate and remember the life of Dr. William E. Raffel, associate professor of communication, with a memorial service at 10:00 a.m. today, November 14, in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall.

Gifts in Dr. Raffel’s memory may be made to the Buffalo State College Foundation with the notation “Communication Department Student Enrichment Fund in Honor of Bill Raffel."

In an effort to provide key information to principal investigators (PIs), faculty, staff, and the campus community, Research and Sponsored Programs has launched Essential News for Researchers, an electronic communication intended to provide noteworthy information on updated policies, procedures, forms, and due dates as well as news and announcements specific to sponsored programs.

Representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan will be on campus today, 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.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage. Attendees may have their blood pressure checked; learn about the benefits of and sample massage therapy; learn how to maximize dental and vision care benefits from the UUP Benefit Trust Fund; get ideas on how to balance work, home, and life from NYS Balance; and obtain information about the Employee Assistance Program, meet EAP coordinators, and consult with specialists on smoking cessation and weight loss. Flu shots will also be available, so bring your health insurance card. Please call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 with questions.

Representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan will be on campus tomorrow 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.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage. Attendees may have their blood pressure checked; learn about the benefits of and sample massage therapy; learn how to maximize dental and vision care benefits from the UUP Benefit Trust Fund; get ideas on how to balance work, home, and life from NYS Balance; and obtain information about the Employee Assistance Program, meet EAP coordinators, and consult with specialists on smoking cessation and weight loss. Flu shots will also be available, so bring your health insurance card. Call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 if you have any questions.

Representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan will be on campus 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.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage. Attendees may have their blood pressure checked; learn about the benefits of and sample massage therapy; learn how to maximize dental and vision care benefits from the UUP Benefit Trust Fund; get ideas on how to balance work, home, and life from NYS Balance; meet EAP coordinators and obtain information about the Employee Assistance Program, and consult with specialists on smoking cessation and weight loss. Flu shots will also be available, so bring your health insurance card.

Call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 if you have any questions.