Many of our students face economic, academic, or social pressures. These conditions often compromise students' academic achievement, affecting their ability to stay in school. A variety of outreach activities for students, faculty, and staff are taking place. Learn how to identify, approach, and refer students experiencing psychological distress, including depression and suicidal ideation, using the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) method. Join the discussion on Wednesday, February 19, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in E. H. Butler 181B. Lunch provided. RSVP through the Workshop Registration System by February 17.

Jeffrey Otterstein from VALIC Financial Advisors will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on Tuesday, February 4. Sessions are by appointment only, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416.

Gain a greater level of confidence in your retirement portfolio. To schedule an appointment, please register online.

The Buffalo State Alumni Association has teamed up with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company to offer a defensive driving class to Buffalo State faculty, staff, alumni, and students on Saturday, February 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320.

Save money on your auto insurance by taking this class offered through Liberty Mutual. Friends and relatives are also welcome if accompanied by a faculty or staff member, alumnus, or student. The cost of the class is $22 per person.

To enroll, contact Mike DiCioccio, Buffalo State’s local representative, at (716) 677-2734, ext. 53695. The registration deadline for this event is Monday, February 10.

Buffalo State Dining is pleased to welcome you back for another great semester! Now is the perfect time to sign up for a Swipe and Save meal plan. We have designed meal plan options specifically to meet the unique dining requirements of our faculty and staff.

Meal Plans

• Bonus Pack 20: 20 meal swipes per semester to be used in the all-you-care-to-eat facility in Resident Dining plus $150 Bengal Bucks. Cost: $313.
• Mini Pack 10: 10 meal swipes per semester to be used in the all-you-care-to-eat facility in Resident Dining plus $150 Bengal Bucks. Cost: $236.
• Forever 25: 25 meal swipes to be used in the all-you-care-to-eat facility in Resident Dining; these meal swipes never expire provided you are a faculty or staff member at Buffalo State. Cost: $195.

Make Your Own Plan
Create your own Bengal Bucks plan and receive a 10 percent discount on each purchase when you use your Bengal Bucks in any Chartwells dining facility.

Bengal Bucks are declining-balance dollar accounts that can be used on the Buffalo State campus. Bengal Bucks can be used not only at any campus dining location but also at the bookstore, the library, in vending machines, and on Performing Arts Center ticket sales as well as off campus at select locations.

How to Sign Up
Sign up for your meal plan or add Bengal Bucks to your account today. Sign up online, in person in E. H. Butler Library 108, or by phone at ext. 5152.

For more information on Buffalo State Dining, please visit our website.

Open SUNY is a systemwide effort to embrace and expand online-enabled education in order to improve education access and help more students complete their degrees and be successful after graduation. Chancellor Zimpher introduced Open SUNY at her State of the University address on January 14.

A webinar for faculty and staff members to learn more about Open SUNY will be held on Wednesday, January 29 (11:00 a.m.–noon), and repeated on Wednesday, February 5 (1:00–2:00 p.m.).

The webinar agenda includes

• a status report on Open SUNY, with an emphasis on faculty-related topics,
• answers to the most frequently raised questions about Open SUNY and other questions offered by attendees,
• opportunities to become involved,
• a chance to gather your input and reflections.

In addition to campus attendees, participants in the meeting will include

• Carey Hatch, associate provost and a leader of the Open SUNY effort;
• Ken O'Brien, chair of the provost's Open SUNY Advisory Committee;
• Peter Knuepfer, president of the University Faculty Senate;
• Tina Good, president of the Faculty Council of Community Colleges, or her representative;
• several faculty and professional staff members involved in the Open SUNY effort.

Session Participation Information
Below is the information for participating in the January 29 and February 5 webinars. Please note that the webinar access information is different for each session, so please use the appropriate information for the date of the webinar you are joining.

Session 1: Wednesday, January 29
11:00 a.m.–noon (Eastern)

Please both dial in to the conference call and sign on to the webex roughly 10 minutes before the start time to ensure you have connectivity and adequate audio.

Dial In
US toll free: (855) 749-4750
US toll: (415) 655-0001
Access code: 648 606 705

To join the online meeting
1. go to the SUNY WebEx website;
2. if requested, enter your name and e-mail address;
3. if a password is required, enter the meeting password: (This meeting does not require a password.);
4. click "Join."

Meeting number: 648 606 705
Meeting password: This meeting does not require a password.

To view in other time zones or languages, please use this link.

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Session 2 (Repeat): Wednesday, February 5
1:00–2:00 p.m. (Eastern)

Please both dial in to the conference call and sign on to the WebEx website roughly 10 minutes before the start time to ensure you have connectivity and adequate audio.

Dial In
US toll free: (855) 749-4750
US Toll: (415) 655-0001
Access code: 648 322 726

To join the online meeting:

1. go to the SUNY WebEx website;
2. if requested, enter your name and e-mail address;
3. if a password is required, enter the meeting password: (This meeting does not require a password.);
4. click "Join."

Meeting number: 648 322 726
Meeting password: This meeting does not require a password.

To view in other time zones or languages, please use this link.

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For assistance, e-mail Emily Schwartz or Melaine Kenyon.

Prospective students in the public relations track of Buffalo State's master's degree in multidisciplinary studies are invited to an informational meeting on Thursday, February 6, at 12:15 p.m. in Classroom Building B108.

Open to students from a variety of undergraduate majors, the PR track of the multidisciplinary master's degree prepares students for careers in public relations. Because of rapid job growth in public relations positions, including social media, U.S. News & World Report has listed the job of public relations specialist on its 2014 List of Best Jobs.

For more information about the PR track or the February 6 meeting, contact the program's principal adviser, Deborah Silverman, associate professor of communication, or like the PR track's Facebook page.

Learn about studying French in Quebec this summer during our Trois-Pistoles information session on Thursday, February 27, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center East 2.

Learn about studying in England and Australia during this information session on Thursday, February 20, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South 2.

There is money out there to fund your study-abroad experience. Learn what it takes to write a scholarship-winning essay. Let us help you get started at our Scholarship-Writing Workshop on Thursday, February 13, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 318.

Sponsored by the International Education Office and the Writing Center.

A financial aid workshop, "Study Abroad (Don't Assume You Can't Afford It)," will be held Tuesday, February 11, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center East 2. See you there.