What does the work of hip-hop artists such as Janelle Monae, Nicki Minaj, and Erykah Badu say about gender, race, and class? Zandria Robinson, assistant professor of sociology from the University of Memphis, will address this issue in a Women's History Month keynote address, "Gotta Sing on the Beats They Give Us: Race, Class, and Black Feminism in Popular Culture," on Wednesday, March 12, from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South. A reception will follow. The talk is open to all members of the campus community, and students are encouraged to attend.

Robinson's talk is sponsored by the women and gender studies program, the African and African American studies program, the Faculty-Student Association, the School of Natural and Social Sciences, and the Association for Faculty and Staff of African Descent.

For more information, please contact Jenn Hunt, associate professor of psychology.

The Newman Center, 1219 Elmwood Avenue, will sponsor a drive-through/pick-up fish fry by Krolick’s on Friday, April 4, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Pickup will be off Penhurst Place. Tickets are $10, which includes a 10-ounce piece of fish, two sides, and a roll and butter. Tickets are available by phone: call 882-1080.

Do you have empty gift baskets you feel guilty throwing out? Would you be interested in putting them to good use? Please consider the Buffalo State Rotaract Club. We are always in need of baskets for fundraising raffles. Your donation would save the club the cost of a basket, funds that could then be donated to the "cause" at hand. If you have something we could use for this purpose, please contact Carol DeNysschen, associate professor of dietetics and nutrition. Thank you!

Stop by the Czurles-Nelson Gallery in Upton Hall to view the 2014 Fine Arts Student Exhibition, on view through March 20. A reception will be held on Thursday, March 6, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Several students will be recognized in the areas of drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and art history. Please join us to celebrate the creativity and achievements of our talented fine arts students.

The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center will facilitate SUNY Buffalo State’s participation in National Volunteer Week Monday, April 7, through Saturday, April 12, as an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to be inspired, recognized, and encouraged to engage in the Buffalo community through volunteerism and service learning. The VSLC’s  National Volunteer Week will provide various programming opportunities for students, faculty, and staff that will recognize student leaders, encourage students to participate in service, and inspire those who have not yet engaged in the community through service-learning courses or volunteerism.

Below is a listing of on-campus events for the week of April 7. Faculty and staff are invited to attend any of the on-campus events and are encouraged to tell students as well. For a full description of events, please see the VSLC's website.

Monday, April 7

• On-Campus Service Project – Build a Birdhouse, Noon–2:00 p.m., Campbell Student Union Lobby

Tuesday, April 8

• Celebration of Service Award Nominations, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Campbell Student Union Lobby
• Alternative Break Participant Panel, 12:15–1:30 p.m., Bulger Communication Center East
• Year of the Teacher: AmeriCorps Panel, 3:00–5:00 p.m., Bulger Communication Center South

Wednesday, April 9

• On-Campus Service Project – Make a Blanket, 10:00 a.m.–Noon, Campbell Student Union Lobby

Thursday, April 10

• Friends of Night People, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Campbell Student Union Lobby  
• Community Service Peer Leader Panel, 12:15–1:30 p.m., Bacon Hall 117

Friday, April 11

• On-Campus Service Project – Construct Waterproof Mats, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Campbell Student Union Lobby

Saturday, April 12

• Spring Community Service Day, 12:30–4:00 p.m.; meet in the Sports Arena.

National Volunteer Week is coordinated by the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center. This week is sponsored by the SUNY Buffalo State Grant Allocation Committee, the Faculty-Student Association, and M&T Bank.

Please join the Geography and Planning Department and the Center for Southeast Asia Environment and Sustainable Development to discover and celebrate Southeast Asia during the third annual Southeast Asia Week, featuring the following presentations:

Indonesia: Current Business and Economic Overview
Teuku Arckyansyah "Arcky" Meraxa
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Geography, University at Buffalo
Monday, March 10
4:30–5:45 p.m.
Classroom Building A303

Burma: Agony in a Golden Land
Zaw Win
Owner, Westside Value Laundromat; Former Political Prisoner and Human Trafficking Victim
Tuesday, March 11
12:15–1:30 p.m.
Classroom Building A209

Singapore: Preferred Destination for Students of Global Business
Paul W. Yong
Director of Asian Programs Development, University at Buffalo
Thursday, March 13
12:15–1:30 p.m.
Classroom Building A209

Refreshments will be served. All questions should be directed to Vida Vanchan, ext. 5209.

The Equity and Campus Diversity Office, in partnership with the Professional Development Office, conducted a survey to learn more about the interests of professional and classified staff professional development opportunities. Thirty-two randomly selected participants took take part in this project.

The results provided insight into the type of desired program offerings. For example, cross-departmental collaboration and cross-functional training were highly favored among the survey participants. Other favorable remarks noted supervisor support for further development.

The Equity and Campus Diversity and Professional Development offices thank all those who participated in sharing their input for the betterment of the Buffalo State community. This project was developed and administered by Siraj Bah, graduate assistant in the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.

Bengal Basics: On Your Way to an A is a workshop series coordinated by the Academic Skills Center aimed at helping students succeed academically. Our next workshop is as follows:

Test Troubles? Preparing for and Taking Tests in College
Tuesday, March 4
12:15–1:15 p.m.
Bacon Hall 217
Presenter: Elizabeth Stevens

The SUNY Provost’s Open SUNY Advisory Committee has created an FAQ to address faculty concerns regarding SUNY’s May 2013 agreement with Coursera, which allows SUNY campuses use of the Coursera online learning platform to offer massive open online courses (MOOCs).

Feedback is encouraged: contactopensuny@suny.edu.

The "Crisis!" film series continues Thursday, March 6, with the Academy Award–winning documentary Inside Job (2010) from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium.

If you've ever imagined that Ph.D. economists from Harvard, Columbia, and other leading universities were above reproach and beyond the reach of the financial elite, this film will make you think again. Charles Ferguson’s compelling documentary exposes what happened when America’s most celebrated academics simply sold their souls for money from bankers whose dealings led to a worldwide economic meltdown. This documentary asks some hard questions of a profession that still demands respect even while it rewards professors who play by Wall Street’s rules (1 hr. 48 min.).

About the Film Series
Using classic and contemporary films and expert commentators, Crisis! engages the community in a discussion about the global economic crisis. Each screening begins with a panel discussion that includes experts from Buffalo State’s faculty and the community. Audiences can expect a broad spectrum of views, lively discussion, and debate. All screenings in the Crisis! film series are free and open to the public.

Next week's film on March 13 will be Margin Call.