Andrea O’Connor, lecturer in the Speech-Language Pathology Department, makes a living by giving a voice to the deaf—but she also recognizes the value of temporarily taking away the voice of those who can hear.

Students enrolled in O’Connor’s sections of SLP 101 and SLP 102: Sign Language I and II are often in for a rude awakening during the first week of class.

“I don’t say a word until the second week of the class,” O’Connor said. “Obviously this is met by many blank stares and fidgeting from the students, who assume at the time that I am deaf. This is a humbling experience for students, who must find a way to comprehend what I am signing. By the end of the course, students not only develop the ability to sign, but an amazing appreciation of the deaf culture.”

O’Connor, who also works for the Niagara County Health Department’s Division of Children with Special Needs, teaches her students American Sign Language (ASL), the third-most-used language in the United States.

Regarded as the natural language of the deaf community, ASL traces its origins to nineteenth-century New England, when Laurent Clerc, a deaf Frenchman, and Rev. Thomas H. Gallaudet, a Protestant minister from Connecticut, established the first school for the deaf in Hartford in 1817—the American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb (now the American School for the Deaf). The residential school’s dormitory life fostered the creation of ASL as students mixed Old French Sign Language, which was taught in the classroom, with the indigenous language already being used by deaf people in America.

As O’Connor’s students discover the history of ASL, the common misconceptions of sign language are slowly eliminated. For example, students learn there is no one universal sign language used by deaf people around the world, and that ASL is not a manual code for English but rather is its own unique language.

“ASL has its own distinct grammatical structure,” O’Connor said. “Facial expression is actually one of ASL’s main grammatical features.”

At Buffalo State, the stark differences between English and ASL qualify SLP 101 and SLP 102 as courses that fulfill students’ foreign-language requirement. O’Connor teaches at least one section of American Sign Language I and II each semester, with demand continuing to grow. O’Connor credits Constance Dean Qualls, chair and professor of Speech-Language Pathology, for supporting Buffalo State’s American Sign Language courses. SLP 101 and 102 will also be offered during Summer Sessions A and B respectively.

“There are a wide range of students taking these courses,” O’Connor said. “Speech-language pathology majors have great interest, but the courses also feature many students from the School of Education, especially special education majors.”

While students enrolled in American Sign Language I and II must learn proper verb tenses and phrases as in any other foreign-language class, there is one classroom skill that differs from Spanish, French, or German courses.

“It can be difficult for students to take notes,” O’Connor said. “In traditional classes, students’ eyes can go back and forth between the instructor and their notebook. In this setting, students must keep their eyes on me at all times or else they may miss something.

“This is really a class unlike any other,” O’Connor added. “Throughout the semester, students build trust and congeniality with one another as they learn together through conversation and events, such as a silent dinner. It is truly an enlightening course for students.”

The Orientation Office and University College will take a new approach this summer to course registration for first-year students. Based on students’ preferences and declared majors, University College advisers will create a schedule of classes for each student before orientation. Administrators hope the move will improve retention and graduation rates.

Starting May 27, University College will mail information packets to students, beginning with those who made their deposits first. The packets will include a questionnaire that asks students to designate their major or area of interest, top three BSC 101 choices, preference for class times, and interest in learning communities. Students will have three weeks to respond. Based on replies and class recommendations from academic departments, University College advisers will create 15-credit-hour (or more) course schedules that include a section of BSC 101 or UNC 100, a section of CWP (College Writing Program), and other required or recommended classes meeting Intellectual Foundations and/or major requisites.

Students will be able to adjust their schedules during summer orientation if needed. According to Robert Mead-Colegrove, director of orientation and new-student programs, this process is successful at many other colleges nationwide.

“Instead of the typical class-scheduling frenzy during orientation, students will instead use the time to learnwhy certain classes are needed,” he said. “Students often don’t understand requirements, and this system has the potential to allow for more conversation during advisement instead of a rushed process. It also will help departments assess their needs—such as available seats in classes—well before students arrive this fall.”

The switch follows months of consultation with the deans and chairs as well as approval from the Academic Council. According to Scott Johnson, assistant dean of first-year and academic support programs, many faculty and staff members view the move favorably.

“People are excited about the potential of the new process,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, it will keep more undecided students here.”

This summer may also be the last time the college holds multiple orientation sessions.

The new registration process is designed to move the college to a proposed “welcome days” orientation format for 2009, where all first-year students would collectively undergo a traditional orientation session and academic advisement the week before classes begin.

“Many peer and inspirational institutions use the ‘welcome days’ format,” Mead-Colegrove said. “Having orientation right before classes helps the information sink in and better prepares students to adjust to college life. We want students to feel ready for their first day of classes and also want more to get engaged in co-curricular activities.”

Johnson said one of the key intentions of the new registration process is to get students started “on the right foot.”

“We want to put students in classes we know they’ll need, and we want them to take things they’ll be excited about,” he said. “In most majors, you don’t bore into the discipline until sophomore year. We’re hoping the schedules will give students a taste of what they’ll study in college, motivating them to be academically successful.”

For faculty and staff who will partake in orientation activities or provide academic advisement this summer, University College will offer an information session to discuss the registration changes on Monday, May 12, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in Bacon Hall 115.

Johnson said the new freshman-registration process should ease the class-scheduling anxiety associated with the traditional orientation format.

“This is a huge step forward for Buffalo State,” he said.

SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Janet E. Ramsey, dean of University College, is retiring on June 1 with mixed feelings. “I love my job and I love Buffalo State,” she said. “But I reflected very carefully, and I’m ready to live a life that’s a little less demanding.”

Ramsey came to the college in 1979 to teach journalism, one of her undergraduate majors. She trained as a Chaucerian and a scholar of medieval literature in her doctoral program, and she makes a connection between the two. “Chaucer uses details to illuminate his stories,” she said, “just as a journalist does.”

After serving as coordinator of the college’s interdisciplinary humanities program, she became chair of the Communication Department. Under her leadership, the department began work toward professional accreditation, revised its curriculum, and acquired digital television and audio facilities. The department voted unanimously to appoint her to a second term as chair. She became associate vice president of undergraduate education in 2003 and was appointed dean of University College when it was created in 2004.

From 1997 to 2000, Ramsey served as chair of the College Senate. “I felt honored to be representing faculty, staff, and students when making recommendations,” she said. “Policies are where the values of the institution play out.”

Her current position has provided her with opportunities to draw on her experience to make a difference. “As department chair and president of the Senate,” she said, “I learned how things work at Buffalo State. I really doknow whom to call.”

Her greatest satisfaction in University College is seeing the school grow from an idea—making first-year programs more coherent and meaningful—into an institutionalized central office for first-year, enrichment, and support programs for students. “We struggled with how to bring many different offices together,” she said, “including international programs, CASTL, the All College Honors Program, the Undergraduate Research Office, student support, EOP, Academic Standards, and the revised general education program.”

Ramsey is confident that many good ideas are now part of the way Buffalo State does its work. Take, for example, the Intellectual Foundations curriculum andBSC 101, the college course designed to help undergraduates understand the purpose of the breadth of a liberal arts education while learning the rudiments of critical thinking.

“When we go to conferences these days,” said Ramsey, “others come to us and ask questions. We are engaged in best practices and doing some cutting-edge work including Intellectual Foundations, CASTL, and ourundergraduate research program.”

The dean’s role is not unlike a professor’s, according to Ramsey. “A dean works hard to nourish and bring out the best in people,” she said. “In a sense, they are my class, and I am their advocate, telling the good story.”

After she retires, Ramsey hopes to remain involved with the college. She is also looking forward to getting back to her beloved Chaucer.

“When I studied him,” she said, “I hadn’t been to England. Now I’ve been there many times. I would love to read The Canterbury Tales along the route the pilgrims traveled.”

Hundreds of students will receive the “red carpet” treatment during the annual EOP Honors Convocation at 3:30 p.m. today in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The event’s red carpet décor and theme—“Imagine, Believe, Achieve: Taking Success to New Heights”—is fitting, as students are given every opportunity to shine at Buffalo State.

Currently, 861 students belong to the Arthur O. EveEducational Opportunity Program, an undergraduate college admissions and support program for students facing economic and academic challenges. Most not only overcome the odds; they eclipse them: 411 students will be recognized for having attained a 3.0 or higher grade point average during one or both semesters during spring and fall of 2007, or a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. EOP academic adviser Jude Jayatilleke and interim associate director Lily Bink, co-coordinators of the convocation, said this year marks the highest number of EOP honors students in the program’s 41-year history.

According to Yanick Jenkins, director of EOP, the name Honors Convocation is a bit of a misnomer.

“The event is much more than an academic achievement ceremony,” she said. “We also honor outstanding community service, award scholarships, recognize campus achievements, and celebrate all who are part of and support the program.”

Before the celebration begins, students will literally walk across a red carpet upon entering the auditorium and be interviewed, much like celebrities during award shows.

In addition, EOP alumni are invited to an after-event reception to kick off the second annual EOP Alumni Weekend. Networking events and campus tours will take place tomorrow, and a dinner gathering at the Niagara Falls Holiday Inn is planned for Saturday.

At its core, EOP is an admissions and academic support program. Established in 1967 by former New York State Assemblyman and Deputy Speaker Arthur O. Eve, the program was the first of its kind in the SUNY system. Today, students benefit from such EOP services as an extended summer orientation, one-on-one counseling, free tutoring, computer labs, and modest financial support in some cases.

“We see the potential for students to succeed,” said Jenkins. “The biggest opportunity for them, simply, is that they can come to college. From there, we expect nothing less than excellence. They have to meet responsibilities to stay in the program. They have to have drive to succeed.”

Ottilie Woodruff, assistant director of EOP, recalls the story of a recent graduate, Angela Caba, as an example of the program’s transformational possibilities.

“When I first met Angela, she seemed very positive and driven, but she just had some mental blocks with certain academic subjects,” Woodruff said. “She particularly had a tough time with science. Today, she’s a doctor.”

Often, one or more of the top five students in Buffalo State’s graduating class each year belong to EOP. Some students are members of both EOP and the All College Honors Program.

Many current EOP staff members were former EOP students. And a number of Buffalo State faculty and staff are graduates. Featured in last year’s 40th anniversary commemorative DVD were Peter Carey, chief, University Police; Leslie Dixie-Smith, staff associate, Student Accounts; Kenneth Giangreco, multimedia specialist, Instructional Resources; Patricia Ghee, coordinator, Scholarship Office; and Wendell Rivera, senior counselor, Counseling Center.

The list of notable EOP alumni also extends to the community. Graduates include the Honorable E. Jeannette Ogden, Buffalo City Court judge; Brenda McDuffie, president and CEO, Buffalo Urban League; and Cesar Cabrera, assistant administrative director, Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Development Consortium, and president of the board of directors, Hispanics United of Buffalo.

Despite EOP’s overwhelming success, staff members say there are still some misconceptions about the program. Among the erroneous notions: EOP is a financial aid program, is for minorities, is separate from the rest of the college, or exists to provide remedial classes.

“EOP is not a financial aid program; it’s an admissions program,” Jenkins said. “As for classes, only the first semester might include an additional class to bolster skills. We’re here to challenge students, and we never want to accept ‘less than.’”

“Most EOP students take out loans to attend college,” Woodruff said. “We’re also a diverse group. Not every student of color is an EOP student, and vice versa.”

All Buffalo State faculty and staff are encouraged to attend today’s EOP Honors Convocation. According to Jayatilleke, the event is highly motivational for students.

“The annual ceremony gets students to work hard,” he said. “We want our students to be quality students.”

Quickly becoming a Buffalo State “tradition,” the Equity and Campus Diversity Awards celebrate the faculty, staff, and students who promote respect for diversity and individual differences. Five faculty and staff members and three students will be honored today by the President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity during the seventh annual awards ceremony.

“These award winners are doing what the college values,” said Dolores Battle, senior adviser to the president for equity and campus diversity. “This year’s recipients clearly reached people.”

Nominated by students, the five recipients of the Faculty and Staff Awards for the Promotion of Respect for Diversity and Individual Differences are:

• Nancy Chicola, associate professor, Elementary Education and Reading
• Brian Dubenion, residence hall director, Residence Life
• Catherine George, academic tutor, Academic Support Programs
• Theresa Harris-Tigg, assistant professor, English
• Michael Niman, associate professor, Communication

The recipients all expressed humility in receiving the honor. Niman, for example, was more eager to discuss the changes he sees in his students than his personal efforts.

“The student who nominated me recently told me he thought the world was changing, but I pointed out that it was not the world so much as he who was changing,” Niman said. As for the importance of equity and campus diversity, he advises, “Rather than shy away from issues of diversity, embrace them, and the sometimes uncomfortable discussions that address topics such as social inequality.”

Chicola related the importance of promoting equity and campus diversity to nature, saying, “It’s like a pebble that when thrown into a pond spreads influential rings to the family, school, community, and beyond.” She said we have an opportunity and responsibility to “influence the hearts and minds of students whom we instruct.”

“Helping students to become culturally responsive and to embrace diversity will serve to enhance learning and improve motivation as well as contribute to life skills that will be utilized well beyond their tenure at Buffalo State College,” Chicola said.

George, who helps a number of international students among those she tutors, was an international student before joining the Buffalo State staff. Understanding that the students she serves have diverse needs, she takes extra care to help all understand the resources available to them while also instilling the belief that they, too, can be resourceful. During intersemester sessions, through a program she calls S.A.V.E. (social, academic, and vocational endeavors), she offers international students free room and board on Bird Street in exchange for interacting with area residents through social activities, academic tutoring, and housing projects.

“I want to perpetuate the good I was given when I was a student,” she said. “Getting this award is significant for me. It will serve as a reminder that it’s good to practice diversity and hopefully will empower others to do more.”

In addition to the faculty and staff awards, three students will receive the Phillip Santa Maria Award for Student Leadership in Equity and Campus Diversity, and 14 faculty, staff, and students will be recognized as recipients of 2007–2008 Equity and Campus DiversityMinigrants. The Theater Department also will receive special recognition for its outstanding efforts in promoting respect for diversity and individual differences in its student body, faculty recruitment, and academic programming. Battle said the department made tremendous strides to become more diverse and infuse diversity into the curriculum.

“With the performance of The Diary of Anne Frank in fall 2006, the department paralleled the Holocaust to the modern-day Rwandan genocide,” she said. “Last fall, it brought issues of the abilities of people with disabilities to the forefront through its production of Antigone, which included a deaf actor. And the recent production of Hairnot only included a diverse cast but also tackled issues of the civil rights era in which the original play was set. Everything they’re doing is very educational for the student body.”

George said promoting equity and campus diversity goes far beyond award recognition. She believes everyone has a responsibility to do all he or she can and encourages all to “be continuous, lifelong learners.”

“The more faculty and staff can do, the more they can make life interesting and rewarding for students on campus,” George said. “It’s about enriching the lives of those we serve.”

It’s been 30 years since Larry Flood came to Buffalo State as an assistant professor of political science. This is his last year as dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences; he decided to retire from that role, even though he feels he’s not quite ready to leave the college.

Then why is he retiring?

“I was reading a poem by Charles Wright not long ago,” he said, “and it has a line: ‘Whatever it was I had to say, I’ve said it.’ Well, that’s how I feel: I’ve done all I can as dean. I wanted to leave at the right time, and I believe that time is now.”

Flood came to Buffalo State because the job matched his interests. “If I had to find the perfect job,” he said, “this was it: a public, urban institution.” As a political scientist, he was interested in urban government and policy issues. He also believed that working at a state college was an opportunity for public service.

As a faculty member, Flood was active in UUP on the state level, addressing economic-development issues. His first role as an administrator came about when the previous dean of Natural and Social Sciences, Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, encouraged Flood to apply for the position of associate dean.

“At the time,” he said, “the associate dean dealt with a lot of student issues, and I was interested in that.” He has also shown a lifelong interest in taking on new challenges—something he plans to do at Buffalo State after stepping down as dean—and in making a difference, either by direct action or by facilitating others’ efforts. He pursued the dean’s position because he saw it as an opportunity to represent faculty interests as well as to tackle something new.

Under his leadership, the School of Natural and Social Sciences can point to a number of achievements. When asked what he’s most proud of, he ticks off an impressive list: the hiring of a number of excellent new faculty members, curricular and program improvements, the recently funded science and mathematics complex, new relations with community organizations, and the work of the Great Lakes Center and the Center for Health and Social Research.

However, he is most enthusiastic when he talks about the faculty members in Natural and Social Sciences, insisting that the successes during his tenure are due to them, not him. “They do all the work,” he said. “It’s a great staff—accomplished, hardworking people. I have a lot of affection for this school.” He also went out of his way to praise the staff in the dean’s office.

Developing cross-discipline programs has been one of his goals, and he’s pleased that the new science and mathematics complex will house the Mathematics Department and the applied math program. Another example of his interdisciplinary efforts is hiring people to serve as both faculty members and associates of the Great Lakes Center, a move that he believes strengthens both units.

“It’s always been stimulating,” Flood said. “I’ve never been bored. There’s always been something worth doing. I’ve been very lucky.”

Buffalo State has also been very lucky to have Dean Larry Flood, and we look forward to his continuing role with the college.

Buffalo State College will hold its 136th Commencement on Saturday, May 10, in the college Sports Arena. Roughly 2,500 students will receive their degrees during two baccalaureate ceremonies—at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.—and one master’s hooding and C.A.S. ceremony at 6:00 p.m.

Nearly 200 students received awards for outstanding work in their disciplines. Seven Buffalo State graduates received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the State University of New York.

LaToya E. Codner earned a bachelor of arts in theater and achieved a GPA of 3.82 while participating in every theater production on campus since her freshman year. Codner served as vice president of Casting Hall and was active in the African American Students Organization and the Fashion Students Association.

Nayrobi M. Rodriguez, who earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science with a GPA of 3.91, plans to pursue a career in international relations. She first came to Buffalo State as a high school student participating in the Math/Science Upward Bound Program.

Adrienne L. Watz earned a master of arts in history with a museum studies concentration and a graduate certificate in museum studies with a GPA of 4.0. Her academic achievements have been recognized with the Donald D. and Barbara J. Leopard Memorial Scholarship and membership in Phi Alpha Theta, the history honor society.

Kristen M. Weisel earned a bachelor of science in education in exceptional education and achieved a 3.96 GPA. Weisel was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society for education, and she presented original research at the Association for Childhood Education International Conference.

Natale R. Sciolino andMatthew R. Tarasek each will receive the President’s Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate Student in addition to the Chancellor’s Award. Sciolino, a psychology major with a minor in chemistry, received several competitive undergraduate research awards. She plans to continue her graduate studies in behavioral neuroscience.

Tarasek, a chemistry major with a minor in physics, achieved a 3.96 GPA while playing on the Bengals football team. He conducted research into several topics, and presented his findings at several conferences, including the American Chemical Society’s national meeting in April 2008.

Brian D. Dubenion will receive the President’s Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student in addition to the Chancellor’s Award. He earned a master of science degree in student personnel administration with a GPA of 3.9. He also served as president of the Graduate Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and he received the Hamlin Park Community Charles T. Perkins Scholarship for community work.

Distinguished Alumnus Awards
Distinguished Alumnus awards will be presented toByron W. Brown, ’83, mayor of Buffalo; Brian M. Higgins, ’85, member of the United States House of Representatives; and Leonard S. Sikora, ’50, retired administrator from the Buffalo Public Schools.

Brown was elected mayor in 2005 after serving in the New York State Senate and the City of Buffalo Common Council. He has served Buffalo State as a member of the Buffalo State College Foundation Board and as president of the Alumni Association.

Higgins served on the City of Buffalo Common Council and the New York State Assembly before he was elected to Congress. As a U.S. representative, he serves on the House committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform, and Small Business. He has served the college as a member of the Buffalo State College Foundation Board.

Sikora’s 41-year career as a teacher and administrator included many groundbreaking initiatives. His generosity toward Buffalo State includes support of the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and an endowed scholarship, the Leonard and Irene Sikora Endowed Technology Education Scholarship Fund.

Undergraduate Commencement Address
Amy Jo Berman, ’87, vice president of casting for HBO films, will deliver the Commencement Address at both undergraduate ceremonies. Berman has earned a reputation for recognizing the industry’s best actors and producing the highest quality casts for the network’s award-winning films and miniseries.

Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
Tom Calderone, ’86, will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the State University of New York. As president of VH1, he is one of media’s most influential executives. Calderone launched his media career at WBNY-FM 91.3, Buffalo State’s student-run radio station.

College Council Medal and Graduate Commencement Address
Arlene F. Kaukus, ’75, president of the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, will receive the Buffalo State College Council Medal. Kaukus began her United Way career in 1979. She will deliver the Commencement Address during the master’s hooding and C.A.S. ceremony.

President’s Distinguished Service Award
Eunice A. Lewin, who co-chaired the Buffalo State College Foundation scholarship galas in 2007 and 2008, will receive the President’s Distinguished Service Award. Lewin’s service has raised more than a half-million dollars for Buffalo State’s All College Honors Program Scholarship Fund.

The Summer Pedagogical Institute, offered through the Intellectual Foundations unit of University College, now includes incentives for participation. Anyone who attends two full days or more will receive $200 toward research and travel funds. Most sessions run May 13 through May 22; space is limited.

Participants of the new “Writing to Teach, Lightening the Load” workshop will receive $400 for attending. This five-day workshop will be offered twice, once during the last week of May and again during the first week of June. It will be taught by Susan Leist, professor of English and director of the College Writing Program.

According to Doug Koritz, assistant dean of intellectual foundations, the workshops are designed to train faculty in the use of formal and informal writing assignments in Writing across the Curriculum (“W” courses).

“Attendees can offer the skills they learn at the Summer Pedagogical Institute to people in their own schools next academic year, and Intellectual Foundations will help pay for that,” said Koritz. “Familiar sessions include teaching oral communication, critical thinking, Socratic questioning, and teaching Foundations of Inquiry.”

To learn about the history of the Pedagogical Institute and the recent workshops held during winter break, please read the December 13, 2007, Bulletin article.

From the Chair of the Senate Curriculum Committee
The College Senate Curriculum Committee will hold an open forum today, December 4, in Bulger Communication Center N2A from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. The ramifications of the SUNY Transfer and Articulation Resolution will be addressed as they relate to transfer students entering Buffalo State College with A.A. or A.S. degrees from SUNY two-year colleges. Joe Hildreth of SUNY Potsdam will speak (via video teleconference) at this important event.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The final meeting of the College Senate for the fall 2008 semester will take place at 2:00 p.m. (not 3:00 p.m.) on Friday, December 12. The earlier start time will allow Senate faculty and staff to attend the president’s holiday party, which starts at 4:00 p.m.