Please advise seniors who will graduate in December 2014 that the deadline to submit applications for December graduation is Friday, September 12. Students may download the form (PDF) or complete the form in the Registrar's Office in Moot Hall 210. The minimum number of credits for an undergraduate degree is 120; some majors require more. Students should contact their advisers with questions.

If you plan to graduate in four years (eight semesters), you must take at least 15 credits each semester. Taking just the 12-hour minimum to qualify for financial aid will cause you to fall short of the credits needed to graduate. There is a 120-minimum-credit-hour requirement that must be fulfilled to earn a bachelor’s degree (15 credits x 8 semesters = 120 credits).

If your major requires more than 120 credits, you will need to either take more credit hours during the fall or spring semesters or consider summer courses or January term. You may also explore your eligibility to earn credits without taking classes through Credit for Experiential Learning, Course Challenge, or the College Level Examination Program; please see the Undergraduate Catalog for more information about these options.

You can save money by registering for more than 12 hours, since there are no additional tuition charges for courses above 12 credit hours. Any credits beyond 12 that you register for in either the fall or spring semester are “free.” You may take up to 19 hours in one semester if you are degree-seeking and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

The latest issue of the Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education (vol. 6, no. 1) is now available online. The editors of JIAE, Maria Ceprano, professor of elementary education and reading, and Tamara Horstman-Riphahn, executive assistant to the dean, formally thank associate professor William White and professor P. Rudy Mattai, both in the Social and Psychological Foundations of Education Department, who provided expert direction and guidance as guest editors of the issue.

This issue focuses on matters related to international and global education. Contributing authors for this issue, in general, advance the notion that education, “at its very core, is about creating the possibility for human flourishing while maintaining dignity and respect,” and that education is most significant when it transcends boundaries, enabling interactions that inform imaginative and creative practices that ultimately enrich the lives of students we encounter in our professional lives.

You must be enrolled full time (at least 12 new credit hours) to receive a New York State TAP grant. If you are repeating a course for which you previously received a passing grade (D, D+, C-), it will not count toward full-time status for TAP eligibility purposes.

Further information regarding Course Repeats is available on the Financial Aid website.

If you are not sure if you will be considered full time for TAP purposes, please check with the Student Accounts Office at stuaccts@buffalostate.edu. Do not delay. Monday, September 1, is the deadline to complete fall 2014 registration.

The Institute for Community Health Promotion Collaborative Research Initiative (ICHP/CRI) is accepting graduate and undergraduate student applications for its Public School Mentoring Program for the fall 2014 semester. Applicants must be enrolled full time at Buffalo State and have excellent written and verbal skills, as well as previous experience tutoring or working with groups of children in an educational setting. Undergraduate students must be at least second-semester sophomores with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Interested students should pick up an information packet from Bacon Hall 114 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays and return the completed application to the office as soon as possible.

All eligible classified and unclassified employees may observe the following holidays in academic year 2014–2015 without charge to accruals:

Labor Day
Monday, September 1, 2014

Columbus Day
Monday, October 13, 2014

Election Day*
Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 27, 2014

Christmas Day
Thursday, December 25, 2014

New Year’s Day
Thursday, January 1, 2015

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, January 19, 2015

Lincoln’s Birthday*
Thursday, February 12, 2015

Washington’s Birthday (Observed)
Monday, February 16, 2015

Memorial Day
Monday, May 25, 2015

Independence Day**
Saturday, July 4, 2015

*The Governor’s Office of Employee Relations has notified all state agencies that floating holidays have been designated in lieu of fixed holidays for Election Day 2014 and Lincoln’s Birthday 2015 for all employees except those represented by PBANYS. UUP-represented employees observe Election Day on the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 28, 2014. Classes are scheduled on both floating holidays, so all other eligible employees who work on those dates will receive credit for a holiday and may arrange with their supervisors to use the credit(s) on a date of their choice before the holiday recurs. Security services unit employees will receive vacation leave on these dates.

**Employees for whom Saturday is a regularly scheduled day off will receive a compensatory day to be used before July 4, 2016.

Have you been hesitant to join Weight Watchers? Can’t find time to attend local meetings? The Buffalo State Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers Weight Watchers At-Work meetings every Wednesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Butler Library 208. Meetings are open to faculty, staff, and students.

To learn more before joining, attend a Weight Watchers open house on Wednesday, September 10, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 418. A light lunch will be provided.

If you are currently attending At-Work meetings, keep up the great work and get ready to welcome some new members. If you have been thinking about joining, now is the best time.

Benefits of the At-Work program:

• Flexibility – When you sign up for the Monthly Pass, you’ll get access to weekly At-Work meetings; unlimited local meetings; and eTools, the Internet weight-loss companion.
• Convenience – Weight Watchers brings the meetings right to campus, so even the busiest person can still attend.
• Daily motivation – Since a majority of our week is most likely spent at work or school, attending Weight Watchers on campus creates a great network for ongoing support and motivation.
• Fee – Participants must register for a Monthly Pass, costing $39.95 a month (which is less expensive than the Weight Watchers center), payable by credit card, debit card, or PayPal.

RSVP to Gina Game by Friday, September 5.

The 15th annual Faculty and Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum will be held Thursday, October 30, in the beautifully renovated Houston Gym. The goal of the forum is to develop, encourage, and support Buffalo State faculty and staff research and creativity, and to make collaborative research endeavors and grantsmanship more accessible. This is an excellent opportunity to network with other Buffalo State faculty and staff members and to identify common scholarly and creative interests you may have.

All faculty and staff members are invited to organize an exhibit to present current research, creative activities, or other scholarship. Individual, departmental, or group exhibits are welcome.

The academic year 2014–2015 has been declared as the Year of the Innovator. The Year of the Innovator recognizes the collaborative spirit and creative mindset that is valued at Buffalo State. Hosted by the School of the Professions, the year will focus on innovative achievements across campus in multiple academic disciplines. If your submission relates to or supports this theme, please include it in the box on the submission form so we may highlight it in the program.

Note: There will be a limited number of electrical outlets, tables, and chairs available, as this is a smaller venue. Display space is limited to one 5-foot table or two easels per submission.

To participate in the fall forum, please complete the online form. Titles and abstracts or descriptions must be submitted electronically by Friday, September 26.

This year's Bengal 5K Scholarship Run will take place on Sunday, September 21, during Buffalo State's Homecoming and Family Weekend. The race will start at 10:00 a.m. Registration is now open.

The race will feature a new USATF-certified course on Buffalo State's campus, bib timing, awards, a great post-race party, and much more. A course map and other event details are available on the Alumni Association's website.

This event supports two scholarships for Buffalo State students: the Legacy Scholarship Fund and the Military Service Scholarship. The Legacy Scholarship Fund is awarded to a student who is the child or grandchild of a Buffalo State graduate, and the Military Scholarship Fund is presented to a student who is currently serving or has prior service in any branch of the United States military.

For information about volunteering or sponsorship opportunities, please e-mail Katelyn Brickhouse, alumni events coordinator.

The Buffalo State community is invited to attend "Drugs and Consequences," a presentation by DEA senior special agent Jonathan Sullivan exploring the myths and realities of drug use, on Friday, September 26, at 7:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South. Please bring a friend. Sponsored by the CSI: Community of Student Investigators Learning Community.