From the Vice President for Student Affairs

President’s Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate and Graduate Student
One undergraduate student and one graduate student will be awarded the President’s Medal at Commencement ceremonies in May. The President’s Medal is the highest honor awarded to a student by Buffalo State College. This award is given to a student who, through use of his or her natural talents and acquired skills, has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the goals of higher education as set forth in the college’s mission statement. Recipients deliver the student address at Commencement. A grade point average of at least 3.5 is required for consideration for this award. Students graduating in December 2008, May 2009, or August 2009 will be considered.

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence is the highest honor bestowed by SUNY upon a student. This award recognizes model students who have integrated academic excellence with achievement in areas such as athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, entrepreneurship, leadership, and career achievement. Although there is no prescribed grade point average for this award, it is assumed that recipients will have high academic achievement. Award recipients are recognized at a spring ceremony in Albany and at Commencement ceremonies in May. Only students graduating between June 2008 and May 2009 will be considered.

Nominations are being sought for both awards. Students must be nominated by a faculty or staff member. Candidates must have demonstrated the qualities recognized by each award.

Selection criteria are the same for each award; however, nominees must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 to be considered for the President’s Medal. A student may be nominated for either or both awards.

Selection Criteria for Both Awards

Academic Performance: Documented via grade point average, honors received, rank in class, research, and other scholarly projects.

Citizenship: Documented membership in a professional organization or community outreach activities.

Leadership/Creativity: Documented local, state, national, or international recognition for excellence (e.g., recipient of major national scholarships or athletic awards and/or recognition by national and international associations and honor societies). For Graduate Students: Documented activities related to the discipline of graduate degree program or other college service leadership in a professional organization, or community outreach activities related to the field of study.

More information and nomination materials are availableonline or from the Information Center in the Campbell Student Union. Nominations and supporting documentation must be delivered to Daniel C. Vélez, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, Cleveland Hall 519, by Thursday, January 22, 2009.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
SUNY is excited to introduce a new employee benefit, SUNY Perks. SUNY Perks provides SUNY employees and their family members with access to private shopping events and exclusive discounts on hundreds of brand name products and services. Recent offers include:

• Up to 12 percent off Dell
• 10 percent off Target
• 15 percent off Brooks Brothers
• 20 percent off National Car Rental
• 45 percent off Philips
• Up to 60 percent off Hotwire
• Special savings on theater, concert, and sporting event tickets

SUNY Perks allows participants to set personal preferences and e-mail reminders to ensure notification when special offers become available on favorite brands. Employees can access SUNY Perks from any computer with Internet access.

URL: http://suny.corporateperks.com

• Click on the Register Now button.
• Enter your personal e-mail address and the password “sunycp.” Your password will be e-mailed to you within minutes.
• Enjoy the exclusive offers!
•  

From the Provost
Dean Gary Jones, School of the Professions, advanced a proposal to merge the Health and Wellness Department with the Dietetics and Nutrition Department. The proposal includes the expectation that implementation strategies will be determined by meetings of members of the two departments to address the following:

1. Create a common mission, vision, and set of core values for the new department.
2. Adopt a name and governance structure with bylaws for the new department.
3. Develop a recommendation for department chair leadership.

The expected outcome is a newly created department headed by a chair with eight full-time faculty serving about 260 undergraduate majors. Members of the faculty in the respective disciplinary areas also contribute to academic minors and graduate study through the multidisciplinary study program.

The effective date of the proposed merger is September 1, 2009.

In accordance with college policy (DOPS III: 08:00), announcement of the proposed merger is made to the college community with invitation to comment and provide feedback. This consultation process is used to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed merger in terms of service to students, curricular relevance and interactions, faculty collaboration, and operational efficiency. Written comments should be submitted to the provost, Cleveland Hall 519. Requests for meetings per DOPS guidelines from groups (students, staff, faculty) affected by the merger proposal should also be sent to the provost.

The timeline established for review and action on this proposal is as follows:

December 4, 2008: Announcement of merger proposal to campus community.

February 5, 2009: Requests for meetings from groups due to provost.

February 12, 2009: Written comments due to provost.

February 20, 2009–April 1, 2009: Meetings held.

April 15, 2009: Decision regarding proposal announced.

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.) tomorrow, 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. We wish everyone a very safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.

From the Vice President for Institutional Advancement
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Timothy J. Walsh as associate vice president for college relations, effective December 4.

Walsh comes to Buffalo State with in-depth marketing, advertising, public relations, publications, and promotional experience in several sectors, including higher education.

From 1989 to 2006, Walsh held key marketing communications positions as assistant vice president and director of public relations at Medaille College, where he played an instrumental role in branding, fundraising, recruitment, and alumni and media relations initiatives. During that time, student enrollment increased 190 percent.

For the college’s evening studies program, Walsh developed and implemented the award-winning “2 Classes + 2 Nights = 12 Credits” multimedia campaign, which became the moniker for the college’s adult-learner recruitment initiative. His communications experience spans New York State, Northern Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada. He has marketed to a wide range of audiences from teens beginning their college search to older adults looking to change careers.

Most recently, Walsh was a member of the AAA Travel Management Team, serving Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Olean, Watertown, and Ithaca. As specialty group travel services manager, and before that as travel marketing manager, he managed the development of integrated marketing promotions across several audiences, including national partners such as Walt Disney World, where his department was awarded the Disney National AAA Marketing Plan of the Year in 2007.

Walsh began his communications career in public relations working for Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. In addition to national and regional media outreach, he organized and implemented major fundraising events, press conferences, and media tours.

Walsh earned his master of science in education and his bachelor of science in media communications from Medaille College. He holds a certificate in supervisory studies from Cornell University.

“I am very excited to return to higher education, where reaching out to dedicated faculty and staff, prospective students, loyal alumni, donors, and friends enables Buffalo State College to tell amazing stories of enrichment, success, and empowerment,” Walsh said.

A resident of Lancaster, Walsh and his wife, Lisa, have three children.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
By enrolling in NYS-Ride, New York State employees can save money on work-related transportation expenses—fares for riding buses, trains, subways, and other types of mass transit or vanpools—and support a greener New York. Employees who participate in NYS-Ride save up to 40 percent on transportation expenses and average $416 in savings annually.

The IRS has just increased the pre-tax allowance for public transportation. Effective January 2009, employees may set aside up to $120 per month in pre-tax salary when they enroll in NYS-Ride. Program details are available on the New York State Web site.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
The maximum amount an employee may contribute to his or her Supplemental Retirement Account has been increased to $16,500 for 2009. Employees who are age 50 or older or who have more than 15 years of service may be eligible to defer an even higher amount under IRS authorized “catch-up” provisions. Employees may also contribute additional money above the maximum through the New York State Deferred Compensation Plan.

Those who wish to change their contribution levels must complete a Salary Reduction Agreement, available on the Human Resource Management Web site (under Forms), or in the Payroll Office, Cleveland Hall 408. Completed agreements must be received in the Payroll Office byFriday, December 19, for the change to be reflected in the first paycheck of 2009. Please contact Al Galone, 878-4124, for more information.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Effective January 1, 2009, annual deductibles for M/C, UUP, PEF, NYSCOPBA, and Council 82 employees will increase to $363 per enrollee, $363 per enrolled spouse or domestic partner, and $363 for all dependent children combined. This change reflects the 4.1 percent increase in the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008.

The annual deductible for CSEA employees will remain at $225.

Empire Plan Coinsurance
Effective January 1, 2009, the coinsurance maximum (out-of-pocket expenses) for the following employees will change to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index:

M/C, UUP, and PEF: $1,000
NYSCOPBA and Council 82: $1,345
CSEA: $500

The coinsurance maximum will be reduced to $300 for calendar year 2009 for CSEA employees in (or equated to) salary grade 6 or below as of January 1, 2009.

Note: There is no deductible or coinsurance when employees use the Empire Plan Participating Provider Network.

Please call Human Resource Management at 878-4821 with questions.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
SUNY campuses have just been notified of the creation of a new Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Services. I encourage the Buffalo State community to submit nominations for deserving colleagues. It will be an honor to recognize the commitment and achievement of our classified staff in this way.

Nominations for the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Services will be received in the Vice President for Finance and Management Office until January 16, 2009. Guidelines for this award, as well as nomination forms, are posted on the Finance and Management Web site or may be obtained from the Vice President for Finance and Management Office, Cleveland Hall 505, 878-4311.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Applications for Individual Development Awards for activities commenced on or after July 2, 2008, and completed on or before July 1, 2009, are now being accepted.

This New York State/UUP Joint Labor-Management program provides funds to assist employees in the UUP bargaining unit in developing their full professional potential and in preparing for advancement by funding professional development activities. The maximum award is $1,000. Applications from those who have not been funded previously are encouraged.

Applications must be received by the Individual Development Award Committee, in care of the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 403, by 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2009. Individual Development Award Committee members are Richard Stempniak, Deborah Jones, and Camille Spyra representing UUP, and Dolores Battle, Benjamin Christy, and Susan Earshen representing management.

Application forms and detailed information on eligibility requirements, types of projects and activities, types of support, funding priorities, and the application and reimbursement procedures are available through theHuman Resource Management Web site or office. The committee strongly encourages the electronic submission of applications tofortunkm@buffalostate.edu. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to Kathleen Fortune at 878-3042.