The midterm grading window will open in Banner on Monday, March 17, and close at 9:00 p.m. Friday, March 28. In addition to entering an estimated mid-term grade, faculty members can mark how regularly a student has attended a course by entering 0 (never attended), 1 (sporadic, unsatisfactory attendance), or 2 (consistent, satisfactory attendance) in the “Hours Attended” field. 

Although all faculty members can provide mid-term feedback for any of their students in Banner, the Early Intervention Program (EIP) seeks information on particular student populations. Faculty members with EIP students in their courses will receive a list of students requiring mid-term feedback. Your comments concerning attendance and performance are deeply appreciated and quite helpful to us in our academic intervention efforts. Please note that students will be able to view their grades in Banner after the mid-term grading window closes.

Should you have questions or concerns, please call ext. 5222 or e-mail maldonhd@buffalostate.edu.

Thank you for your commitment to our students’ success.

The Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education (CEURE) is pleased to announce two new AmeriCorps ABLE programs in honor of former President Aaron Podolefsky.

In recognition of Dr. Podolefsky’s commitment to service and urban education, the Dr. Podolefsky Student Teaching Fellowship program provides opportunities for education majors to gain valuable professional experience by serving children and youth through local school and community partners. The Dr. Podolefsky Tutoring Fellowship program provides similar opportunities for students who have sophomore or higher standing. The programs will sponsor up to 30 fellows per year for the next three years; applications are now being accepted for the first cohort of students who will begin service this semester.

For more information or an application, please stop by the CEURE Office in Caudell Hall 107 or contact Diane Mercuri, CEURE staff assistant, or Gina Pannozzo, Ph.D., program director, ext. 3610. 

CEURE would like to thank Eleanore Woods Beals, '50, and Vaughn Beals for their generous donation and sponsorship of these programs.

An information session on study opportunities in Zambia for graduate and undergraduate education majors will be held on Tuesday, February 25, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 219. For more information, please contact Hibajene Shandomo, associate professor of elementary education and reading, Bacon Hall 316H, ext. 4528.

The Small Business Development Center presents “Survive and Thrive: Essentials for Starting Your Own Business,” a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Wednesday, March 12, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Burchfield Penney Art Center (second floor). Specific topics include creating a business plan; competition analysis; and tax, legal, and insurance issues. The workshop is free for Buffalo State faculty, staff, students, and alumni and U.S. military veterans and $20 for all others.

Registration will take place immediately before the workshop, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. To register in advance, please call the SBDC at ext. 4030. For further information, please visit the SBDC website.

A Blackboard training session for adjuncts is scheduled for Monday, March 10, at 5:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 318. A number of spots are still available. If you are an adjunct faculty member who needs training and you are available on March 10, please register using the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System.

Please come to Classroom Building B218 at 12:30 p.m. today to attend an organizational meeting for students interested in a legal career. We will specifically discuss the following:

• Access for students to WestlawNext, the law research program used by UB and most of the major law schools in the United States
• An overnight trip to Washington, D.C., to sit in on an oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court and tour other law-related sites
• This semester's law luncheon series
• This semester's law school selection, application, and enrollment forum

See you this afternoon!

Felix L. Armfield, professor of history and social studies education, will present the lecture "Civil Rights and the Global Community: Robert F. Williams and the Communist World" on Tuesday, February 25, from 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. in Technology Building 160. This lecture is given at the invitation of Buffalo State's International Student Advisory Council to mark and honor Black History Month in America.

This lecture is free and everyone is welcome.

For more information, please contact Jean F. Gounard, director of international student affairs, ext. 5331.

The Admissions Office will host its annual Class Visit Program during Presidents Week, February 19–21. This invitation-only event for high school seniors who have been accepted to Buffalo State for fall 2014 will be hosted in E. H. Butler Library 210. Visiting students will attend classes alongside current Buffalo State students in a cross-section of academic disciplines. Students will observe 9:00 a.m. classes on Wednesday and Friday, and 9:25 a.m. classes on Thursday, which align with scheduled tour times.

While students are in classes, their parents will participate in a Q&A panel discussion. Parents can pose questions to representatives from Financial Aid, Residence Life, University College, University Police, and the Career Development Center. 

Two-thirds of all program participants in recent years have paid a tuition deposit. Most do so on or after their visit date. We also offer a special Honors Class Visit, under the auspices of Andrea Guiati, director of the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program. Thanks to all academic departments for supporting this high-yield initiative.

The Class Visit Program was recognized with a SUNYCAP (SUNY College Admissions Professionals) Achievement Award for “excellence and innovation in the design and implementation of an event.”

For more information, please visit our web page.

Lieutenant Richard Myers of University Police will present "Campus Safety and Personal Safety" on Wednesday, February 26, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in Rockwell Hall 301. The PowerPoint presentation will cover many important aspects of crime prevention and campus safety, including how to contact law enforcement in the event of an emergency, criminal activity that can occur on and off campus, escort and shuttle services, problems areas for students and staff, how to protect yourself and your property, and helpful resources on campus.

Participants will be educated in the areas of crime prevention and reduction, and awareness of criminal activity. Attendees will also learn about numerous educational programs that are available through the police to teach you what you can and should do to prevent yourself from becoming a potential victim.

This presentation is sponsored by Buffalo State's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Registration is not required but is recommended.

MetLife Financial Services will conduct "The PlanSmart Financial Education Series," led by Jason Bird. This four-part workshop series will provide you with the tools you'll need to achieve your retirement goals.

Session 1: Building the Foundation
Wednesday, February 26
10:30 a.m.–noon
Will help you envision the retirement you want and how to finance it based on current and future retirement trends, as well as cover the importance of tax diversification.

Session 2: Creating and Managing Wealth
Wednesday, March 5
10:30 a.m.–noon
Explains how to prepare before retirement to generate income during retirement. You will look at investment risk, investment strategies, retirement expenses, and the different sources of retirement income.

Session 3: Establishing Your Retirement Income Stream
Wednesday, March 12
10:30 a.m.–noon
You will learn how to structure a retirement income stream to address your retirement wants and needs. You will examine the risk that could affect your retirement funds and how to manage assets to help provide lifelong income.

Session 4: Making the Most of What You Have
Wednesday, March 19
1:30–3:00 p.m.
Will review the benefits your employer offers together with other benefits for a clear understanding of how they fit into your retirement plan. You will also look at the basics of estate planning, wills. and trusts.

All sessions will be held in E. H. Butler Library 210. You may register for this four-part workshop series by visiting www.metlifeplansmart.com and entering "MetLife - SUNY Vendor" or by calling (866) 801-3547.