The official launch of the Western New York Blackboard Users Group at Bb World 2014 is slated for 12:15 p.m. (EST) today, July 17. Meghan Pereira, Ginger Bidell, and Ellen Sidey of Instructional Resources helped create the group in conjunction with Jenna Dulak at Hilbert College. The group is open to anyone who is a Blackboard user; its purpose is to support the Blackboard community in WNY. You may virtually access the launch through the Blackboard Collaborate website.

We are thrilled to announce that the "new" Buffalo State Fitness Center will open Monday, July 21. Please visit us on the second floor of Houston Gym 230. Our doors will open promptly at 6:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. 

Our current location in Buckham Hall A228 will be permanently closed for business starting Friday, July 18. 

We look forward to seeing you at the Fitness Center soon. Please refer to our online schedule for hours and more information.

Spot Coffee will be open for breakfast and lunch during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For lunch today at Spot, enjoy General Tso's chicken, veggie lo mein, white rice, Vietnamese tofu, sesame noodle salad, green salad, and pot stickers. Get one entrée, two sides, and a fountain beverage for only $8.79.

Tomorrow, July 18, and every Friday during the summer, Buffalo State Dining is paying it forward with a specialty faculty, staff, and student appreciation discount lunch featuring a cookout in the Student Union Quad from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This will replace the normally featured hot entrée selection at Spot Coffee in the Campbell Student Union Food Court.

Select one entrée, two sides, and a fountain beverage from the cookout menu for only $5. This Friday's menu includes hamburgers, turkey burgers, chipotle barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon, loaded potato salad, and California pasta. 

Faculty and staff members, save 10 percent on every purchase when you use your Bengal Bucks. For information on how to sign up for a Bengal Bucks account or for a full list of summer hours of operation, please visit our website.

Buffalo State is piloting a program that can offer faculty, staff, and students a 20 percent discount on the cost of a Buffalo State parking permit if they commute to campus in a vehicle rated as SmartWay Elite. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created SmartWay Elite certification as a way to rate vehicles based on their emissions levels and fuel economy values. The Elite status holds the highest standards and is earned by those vehicles that rate 9 or better on both the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution scores.

By implementing the SmartWay Elite program, Buffalo State hopes to reduce the environmental impact of vehicles used to drive to and from campus.

For more information on how to apply and to see if your vehicle qualifies as SmartWay Elite, visit the Parking Services website.

IMPORTANT: Your application will not be processed until the Parking Services Office receives your documentation verifying your SmartWay Elite status. Documentation must be received by Parking Services before you apply for your parking permit. No refunds will be issued for documentation submitted after the permit has been issued.

If a reporter contacts you for an interview, remember: you can always call the public relations team in College Relations to discuss it. We might be able to help you in several ways: by providing information about the media outlet; by helping you make your key points; or by suggesting aspects of the interview you might not have considered.

Remember, the decision to grant an interview is always yours.

Faculty and staff parking permit stickers for the 2014–2015 academic year are now available online. Employees may log on to the system with their campus usernames and passwords. Permits can be sent via U.S. mail to the employee’s address of record or picked up in the Parking Services Office, Chase Hall 126. A valid photo ID must be shown when picking up a parking permit.

Staff members who do not have a campus username and password may apply for their permits in person in the Parking Services Office. Permits are not available at Student Accounts.

University Police will begin ticketing for no-permit violations beginning Tuesday, September 2. If you have elected to have your permit mailed to you and have not received it by this date, please stop by University Police or Parking Services to obtain a temporary permit for the day.

We look forward to providing this opportunity to go green and help create a smooth transition for the upcoming semester.

Spot Coffee will be open for breakfast and lunch during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For lunch today at Spot, enjoy beef or chicken fajitas, red beans and rice, refried beans, salsa fresca, guacamole, and taco salad.

For lunch tomorrow, Thursday, July 17, at Spot, enjoy General Tso's chicken, veggie lo mein, white rice, Vietnamese tofu, sesame noodle salad, green salad, and pot stickers. 

Get one entrée, two sides, and a fountain beverage for only $8.79. Faculty and staff members, save 10 percent on every purchase when you use your Bengal Bucks. For information on how to sign up for a Bengal Bucks account or for a full list of summer hours of operation, please visit our website.

Spot Coffee will be open for breakfast and lunch during the summer, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For lunch today at Spot, enjoy turkey tetrazzini, biscuits, garlic rice, broccoli rabe, Caesar salad, and spinach salad with pecans.

For lunch tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16, at Spot, enjoy beef or chicken fajitas, red beans and rice, refried beans, salsa fresca, guacamole, and taco salad.

Get one entrée, two sides, and a fountain beverage for only $8.79. Faculty and staff members, save 10 percent on every purchase when you use your Bengal Bucks. For information on how to sign up for a Bengal Bucks account or for a full list of summer hours of operation, please visit our website.

Buffalo State received information from SUNY System Administration on July 8 concerning the process to establish departmental allocations for July 1, 2014. This multipart annual process takes approximately four to six weeks to complete and concludes with the posting of allocations at the account level. At this time, we anticipate that departmental allocations will be viewable at the account level in early September. We will advise you when allocations have been posted to campus accounts.

Please call the Budget Office, ext. 4312, if you have any questions.

The Professional Staff Caucus will hold its annual PSC Corn Fest on Wednesday, July 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Perry Quad (rain location: Ice Arena). The committee is planning an exciting summer fun country and western theme and a menu that includes Sahlen’s hot dogs, all-you-can-eat corn, and picnic fare.

Everyone who buys a ticket is automatically entered into a drawing for numerous door prizes.

In addition, get 26 chances for only $5 on our always popular basket raffles with great prizes, plus a chance on the grand prize raffle for a 22-inch flat-screen TV! And a strip of 10 tickets is just $5 for a chance to win hundreds of dollars in the 50/50 split club drawing. Bring loose change for the 50/50, raffle baskets, and gift certificates; necklaces will also be available for purchase. Necklace proceeds will go toward the Alzheimer's Association and the PSC Scholarship Fund.

An array of auction items will be available, including theme baskets and gift certificates. Hurry and get your tickets today. Tickets can be purchased online or from the following individuals:

Josie Adamo, South Wing 530
Kelly Boos, Classroom Building A113
Andrew Chambers, E. H. Butler Library 147B
Paul Bentkowski, Twin Rise 208
Claire Collier, Cleveland Hall 312
Kim Jablonski, Weigel Health Center
Jude Jayatilleke, South Wing 620
Maria Kendzierski, Moot Hall 110
Megan Keogh, Cleveland Hall 214
Debbie Sarratori, Weigel Health Center
Terri Locher, Clinton Center 229

A portion of the proceeds will go toward the PSC Scholarship Fund. If you would like to donate a raffle item or door prize, please call Deborah Sarratori at ext. 6711. The event is sponsored by PSC, UUP, and Chartwells.