This week’s FACTS article features information on available options to assist students with on-campus living expenses. Additionally, we will describe the financial aid impact to students employed in the residence halls.

Students who wish to live on campus are advised to carefully review their financial packages before signing the residence hall agreement; this is a binding contract with Residence Life. While financial aid can be used for housing costs, a student is not necessarily eligible for sufficient financial aid to cover expected charges. The costs of attending Buffalo State, including living on campus, are detailed on the Financial Aid Office’s Cost of Attendance website. Students are also encouraged to use the Bill Estimator to calculate their out-of-pocket expenses.

For students whose financial aid awards fall short of their total direct charges, the following options are available:

• Campus Scholarships: Encourage students to review the recently posted institutional scholarship opportunities and to monitor their Buffalo State e-mail accounts for scholarship updates throughout the year. Deadline for submission is May 31, 2014.
• Automatic Payment Plans: Conveniently splits the student’s outstanding bill balance over four payments each semester for a nominal fee. Questions should be directed to the Student Accounts Office (SAO) at (716) 878-4121 or stuaccts@buffalostate.edu.
• Parent PLUS Loans or Private Alternative Loans: Students and parents interested in these options can review additional information on our website or contact our office.

Resident Assistants (RA) and Resident Directors (RD)
Students employed as RAs or RDs receive room and board waivers as a form of compensation. Per federal student aid regulations, these waivers must be factored into students’ financial aid packages. As a result, students may experience a decrease in other awarded financial aid sources. If a student is considering becoming an RA or RD mid-year, he or she should meet with a financial aid adviser to discuss the impact to financial aid before making a final decision to avoid an outstanding balance with the college.

For more information and ways you can assist students with Residence Life options, please refer to the Residence Life Guide.

If you have questions regarding this article, please contact us at finaid@buffalostate.edu or ext. 4902. All questions and answers will be posted in the “You Asked for It” section of the FAO website. Click on the “Faculty and Staff” link (bottom left).

The SUNY Buffalo State NCBI campus affiliate, Coalition-Building Team, will host a Celebration of Diversity on Monday, May 19, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Halls. This networking reception will celebrate the successes of the Coalition-Building Team, announce exciting new developments for 2014, and premiere a student-produced film about student perceptions of diversity in 2014 titled The New America. 

Wine and refreshments will be served. All faculty and staff members are invited to attend. The favor of a reply is requested by Monday, May 12. Please call ext. 5609.

This session is part of the 2014 Pedagogical Institute.

The public administration program will host Susan Wood, associate professor at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, for the lecture "The Controversy over Contraception: Women's Health, FDA, and Emergency Contraception" today, May 5, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Classroom Building C122. Her talk is free and open to the public.

Wood served as FDA assistant commissioner for women’s health for five years. When she concluded in 2005 that Bush administration politics were tying up the approval of Plan-B, not the safety or efficacy of the “morning-after pill,” she resigned and spoke our forcefully that FDA science was being held captive by the “pro-life movement.” Following her resignation, Wood traveled around the country, sharing her story and voicing her concerns over the state of public health policy.

Her talk is funded by the Grant Allocation Committee.

James Costa, professor of biology at Western Carolina University and scholar of Darwin and Wallace, will present "The Consilient Mr. Wallace: Insights from Alfred Russel Wallace's 'Species Notebook' of 1855–1859" on Friday, May 2, at 3:30 p.m. in the Ethel Lockman Newman Lecture Hall (Bulger Communication Center North). Costa's books will be available at the talk for signing and are available at Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore.

The public administration program will host Susan Wood, associate professor at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, for the lecture "The Controversy over Contraception: Women's Health, FDA, and Emergency Contraception," on Monday, May 5, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in Classroom Building C122. Her talk is free and open to the public.

Wood served as FDA assistant commissioner for women’s health for five years. When she concluded in 2005 that Bush administration politics were tying up the approval of Plan-B, not the safety or efficacy of the “morning-after pill,” she resigned and spoke our forcefully that FDA science was being held captive by the “pro-life movement.” Following her resignation, Wood traveled around the country, sharing her story and voicing her concerns over the state of public health policy.

Her talk is funded by the Grant Allocation Committee.

The Residence Hall Judicial Board is accepting applications for student justices for the 2014–2015 academic year. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, must be resident students, and must be in good judicial standing. Additionally, successful applicants must be available on Fridays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. during the spring and fall semesters. Applications are available on the Residence Life website or in the Residence Life Office in Porter Hall. For more information, please contact Janelle Brooks, assistant director of residence life, ext. 4927.

Want to come to the seventh annual Runway fashion show on Saturday, May 10? Get your tickets online at Brown Paper Tickets or skip paying the fee and come to the Campbell Student Union on May 1 and May 6 during Bengal Pause. The fashion show production team will be selling tickets on the main floor for both shows.

The Runway event will feature two shows: 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. This year's show is sponsored by the Fashion and Textile Technology Department in collaboration with the Music, Design (communication design, fiber arts, and jewelry), and Hospitality and Tourism departments. Come and see the amazing results of all these talented students and faculty. For additional information, read our blog or "Like" us on Facebook.

Afternoon show tickets are $15 general admission and $10 for students with ID. Evening show general admission tickets are $25; VIP tickets with reserved seating are $100. VIP tickets include access to a private lounge, a swag bag filled with goodies from local merchants, Flying Bison beer, and hors d’oeuvres provided by the Buffalo State chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. All proceeds go toward the Fashion and Textile Technology Department Scholarship Fund.

The Runway fashion show and purse auction will be held this year on Saturday, May 10, with shows at 3:00 and 8:00 p.m. The purse auction is new this year. Come and bid on your favorite purse from designers such as Vera Bradley, Michael Kors, Burberry, and more! Don't like to bid but really want the purse? Then use the "Buy it now" option available during both shows. Highest-bid winners will be announced at the end of the evening show. Go to www.bscrunway.com to check out photos of the purses and senior student highlights.

Afternoon show tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students with ID. Evening show general admission tickets are $25; VIP tickets with reserved seating are $100. VIP tickets include access to a private lounge, a swag bag filled with goodies from local merchants, Flying Bison beer, and hors d’oeuvres provided by the Buffalo State chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. All proceeds go toward the Fashion and Textile Technology Department Scholarship Fund.

Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets.

Local Sponsorship and Acknowledgements
For both shows, Tim Hortons will serve complimentary cups of its new frozen hot chocolate, along with an array of toppings.

The presenting sponsor of this year’s Runway event is the Eastman Foundation. Gold sponsors are Tim Hortons and Block Club; silver sponsors are New Era and M&T Bank; and bronze sponsors are Buffalo Spree magazine, PMG-Pro Inc., and Keller Bros. & Miller Inc.

Please join the Philosophy and Humanities Department for the next lecture in the 10th annual spring colloquia, "Gender in Philosophy," presented by Samantha Wezowicz, 2013–2014 outstanding philosophy major, on Thursday, May 1, at 3:00 p.m. in Bishop Hall 242. The commentator will be Elsa Brydalski, philosophy major.

Computing and Technology Services reminds the campus of changes to test scoring and survey analysis operations effective with the spring 2014 semester.

Because of reduced staffing, we are not able to offer “while you wait” processing of tests or surveys. Please plan ahead—this is particularly critical during midterm and final exam weeks! Tests dropped off before 4:00 p.m. will be available for pickup at 10:00 a.m. the next business day. Survey turnaround time may be longer, depending on the volume of tests in the queue.

Scanning drop-off and pickup has relocated to the second floor of Twin Rise. All tests and surveys should be dropped off (and picked up) in Twin Rise 206. Hours of service are 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Please call ext. 4611 with questions.