From the Chair of the College Senate
The first meeting of the College Senate for the fall 2008 semester will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, September 12, in Classroom Building C122. The agenda for the meeting is available on the College Senate Web site, along with the schedule of the College Senate.

A new graduate program, the M.S. in forensic science, has been approved by the State University of New York and the New York State Education Department. The rapid growth of the undergraduate forensic chemistry program led to the development of the graduate program, according to Scott Goodman, chair and associate professor of chemistry.

“Because of the growing interest in the forensic sciences,” he said, “the field is moving toward requiring graduate work.” Students admitted to the master’s program must have completed 48 credit hours in mathematics and the natural sciences. “A background in forensics is not required,” said Goodman, “but students must have enough undergraduate science to do graduate work.”

The 30-credit-hour program has been designed to be completed in two years. The program unites current theory and practices in forensic science with advanced laboratory training. Students will be required to complete a thesis based on original research. “It might be a very specific project related to forensic science, or it may be more closely tied to chemistry or biology,” said Goodman.

Students in the program will also be required to present seminars, a practice already in place for graduate students in chemistry. “The Grant Allocation Committee funds the Seminars on Thursday series,” said Goodman, “and graduate students present their research there.” Graduates of the program will be able to pursue careers or doctoral studies in analytical chemistry and related fields.

Although housed in the Chemistry Department, the program is interdisciplinary. “Biology is partnering with us,” said Goodman. “Amy McMillan [assistant professor of biology] and I are team-teaching the forensic molecular biology this semester.”

He noted that forensic chemistry is analytical chemistry—the study of the chemical composition of materials—applied to evidence used in court. Much of forensic science relies on identifying and comparing materials—substances found at crime scenes and under suspicious circumstances. The important role played in the criminal justice system by DNA evidence is expected to grow.

A new course prefix—FOR—has been developed to indicate certain required courses, such as principles of forensic science, also available this semester. Required courses include FOR 614: Forensic Applications of Instrumental Analysis and FOR 616: Microscopy in Forensic Science, which will provide students with the skills necessary to work in a modern forensics lab. The microscopy lab used in this program will also serve students in earth sciences, chemistry, and biology. Students will also use an electron microscope located at the University at Buffalo.

Goodman hopes that as the program develops, interested faculty members in other departments will choose to develop forensic courses related to their disciplines.

It is the policy of Buffalo State College that no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of the disability, be excluded from participation in employment or access to programs of the college. The following statement appears in the Directory of Policy Statements:

• The State University College at Buffalo will not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, or student because of physical or mental handicap with regard to any position or program for which that person is qualified. This commitment is applicable in all employment practices including, but not limited to employment upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training." (Policy Number VI:01:03 1985)
• Although the statement pre-dates the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, it does express the college policy with regard to persons with handicapping conditions that can be related to persons with disabilities as in the more recent federal legislation. In carrying out this policy, the college shall make a good faith effort to reasonably accommodate the physical and/or mental limitations of an employee, applicant for employment, or student unless such accommodations would impose undue hardship on the operation of the college.
• The college will not deny an employment opportunity to an individual because the individual has a relationship or association with an individual who has a disability.
• The college will not knowingly participate in a contractual or other arrangement that subjects an applicant for employment, an employee, or a student with a disability to unlawful discrimination.
• The college will not discriminate or retaliate against any individual, whether or not the individual has a disability, as a result of an individual opposing a discriminatory practice, filing a discrimination complaint, or participating in any way in enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Students with need for special services related to disabilities should contact:

Marianne Savino 
Director, Disability Services Office
South Wing 120
878-4500

Faculty and staff with special needs because of a disability should contact Human Resource Management.

Complaints and Grievances Related to Allegations of Discrimination Based on Disabilities
The State University College at Buffalo will follow the SUNY Grievance Procedures for the Review of Allegations of Discrimination to resolve complaints of unlawful discrimination based on disabilities.

Complaints are filed in the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Cleveland Hall 415, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222. Complaints should be addressed to Dolores E. Battle, Ph.D., senior adviser to the president for equity and campus diversity, who has been designated by the college president to coordinate the ADA compliance efforts.

From the Director of the College and Community Partnerships Office
The College and Community Partnerships Office is pleased to provide its first eight-page annual report. To familiarize yourself with the work of the Partnerships Office and how we can help you make connections on and off campus, please visit our Web site for the latest information on our events, community involvement, minigrants, and much more. Or visit us in Cleveland Hall 211A.

From the Vice President for Student Affairs
The Auxiliary Services Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) requests proposals from individuals, departments, and student clubs and organizations for funding of programs, speakers, and events to take place during the 2008–2009 academic year. The application and guidelines have been updated; interested individuals are encouraged to review this document online.

The deadline for submitting applications under this funding cycle for the September round has been extended to Friday, September 19, for fall 2008 and spring 2009 program proposals.

The spring 2009 program proposal deadline is Monday, November 17, 2008. Questions about the GAC may be addressed to Daniel Vélez, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, Cleveland Hall 519, 878-5550.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
The process for awarding UUP discretionary awards has been modified by mutual agreement between UUP and the college administration. The discretionary award steps have been streamlined to be less confusing for employees and administrators. We wish to thank Richard Bihr, Bruce Bryski, and Richard Stempniak of UUP for their input and assistance in revising the process.

Information on the UUP discretionary process and deadlines was sent to UUP employees by campus mail on August 27. The same information was sent to home addresses of part-time faculty and employees currently on leave. All discretionary award information and forms can be found on the Human Resource Management Web site.

Please note the following changes in the 2008 process:

• Employees may self-nominate for a discretionary award by completing a nomination form and submitting it to their department chair, director, associate vice president, or other direct supervisor bySeptember 15, 2008.
• In order to be eligible to appeal the discretionary decision later in the process, the employee MUST self-nominate by the September 15 deadline. A copy of the nomination form should be sent to the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 403, to register the self-nomination by the deadline date.
• After the initial nomination (whether self-nomination or nomination by the department head), the recommendations will be forwarded through the appropriate approval levels. For employees who have self-nominated, each level should forward the form with a notation “recommend”or “unable to recommend” to the next level.
• Employees will no longer be notified of the recommendation at each level as had been done in the past. Instead, there will be one opportunity to appeal after the president has made her decisions and sent out letters to employees informing them of their awards. Letters will be sent on October 28, 2008. Those employees who have self-nominated at the beginning of the process may submit an appeal by November 5, 2008. Following a review by the Appeals Board, notification of the appeals decision will be sent by letter on November 17, 2008. Discretionary awards will be paid in the checks dated December 10, 2008.

Please refer to the information on the Human Resource Management Web site for more detailed information on the process. If you have questions regarding the UUP discretionary process, please call Susan Earshen, associate vice president for human resource management, at 878-3042.

From the President
At its May 9, 2008, meeting, the College Senate voted to approve and forward to the president the following motions for approval and action:

Reports to the Budget and Staff Allocation Committee

WHEREAS, it is standard practice to provide end-of-year expenditure data for all institutions, public and private;

WHEREAS, transparency in budget data is a necessary component to create trust throughout an institution;

WHEREAS, Buffalo State College used to provide these data; and

WHEREAS, the College Senate and the Budget and Staff Allocation Committee need timely and accurate end-of-year expenditure data to adequately perform their oversight roles,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the president request that the Vice President for Finance and Management’s Office provide to the College Senate on an annual basis, beginning with fiscal year 2008–2009, financial reports comparing initial allocations (July 1) with end-of-year expenditures (June 30) by vice presidential area.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and hereby authorize the Vice President for Finance and Management's Office to include a comparison of initial allocations with end-of-year expenditures by vice presidential area to the list of financial reports provided annually to the College Senate, beginning with fiscal year 2008–2009.

Motion to Accept an Additional Measure of English Language Proficiency for International Applicants to Buffalo State

WHEREAS, Buffalo State currently accepts only the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as proof of English language proficiency from international applicants;

WHEREAS, this limits our ability to recruit in countries such as China, where we have many contacts that would enable us to attract students but where the TOEFL exam is not readily accessible (few test dates, few testing centers); and

WHEREAS, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a highly regarded and often more widely available measure than TOEFL, is recognized by universities throughout the English-speaking world, including 13 other four-year SUNY campuses (all four university centers and nine arts and sciences campuses) and nearly half of Buffalo State’s aspirational peers,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State College also accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as a measure of English language proficiency for international applicants to Buffalo State College (a minimum score of 5.5 for applicants to undergraduate programs and a minimum score of 6.0 for applicants to graduate programs), effective as soon as possible.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and approve the policy to accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in addition to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a measure of English language proficiency for international applicants to Buffalo State College, effective September 1, 2008. I charge the provost with the responsibility of implementing the policy change.

Motion for Extending the Policy on Waiving Non-trustee General Education Requirements for Transfer Students Holding A.A. and A.S. Degrees to Also Include B.A. and B.S. Degree Holders.

This motion applies to GE-C and to GE2K requirements, which have both List A (trustee requirements) and List B (Non-trustee/Buffalo State requirements). Since Intellectual Foundations does not have List A and B, it does not apply to IF.

Buffalo State’s current policy (page 13 of the 2007–2009 Undergraduate Catalog) reads as follows:

“Students transferring to Buffalo State with an A.A. or A.S degree must complete the remaining hours of the trustees’ general educational requirements at Buffalo State but are not obligated to take additional Buffalo State general education courses (now referred to as Intellectual Foundations courses) beyond those mandated by SUNY. This continues the policy established in fall 1996 that waives the Buffalo State general education requirements for students who enter with an A.A. or A.S. degree.”

WHEREAS, a waiver policy currently exists for transfer students holding the lower A.A. or A.S. degrees but not the higher B.A. or B.S. degrees;

WHEREAS, transfer students with B.A. or B.S. degrees must petition through the Academic Appeals Committee to have non-trustee general education requirements waived, and the Academic Appeals Committee reports approving 100 percent of such petitions;

WHEREAS, transfer students with B.A. or B.S. degrees do not always know that they can petition these requirements, thereby creating inequity within our degree standards; and

WHEREAS, transfer students unaware of the petition process who take unnecessary coursework fill seats that could be used by students actually needing the course for degree completion,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the current policy be revised to read (changes in bold):

“Students transferring to Buffalo State with an A.A., A.S.,B.A., or B.S. degree must complete the remaining hours of the trustees’ general educational requirements at Buffalo State but are not obligated to take additional Buffalo State general education courses (now referred to as Intellectual Foundations courses) beyond those mandated by SUNY. This extends the policy established in fall 1996 that waives the Buffalo State general education requirements for students who enter with an A.A. or A.S. degree.”

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and hereby approve the revision to the current policy on waiving non-trustee general education requirements for transfer students to include bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree holders. I charge the provost with the responsibility of implementing the policy change effective September 1, 2008, and updating the college catalog at the time of its next printing.

The State University of New York is required by federal law to have an internal grievance procedure for the review of allegations of discrimination. The university-wide grievance procedure was adopted by SUNY in 1977 and revised in 2003. SUNY Counsel’s Office has provided an important clarification to the 2003 procedures regarding the dissemination of the Tripartite Panel’s report/form or summary of findings and recommendations. According to the revision, when the Tripartite Panel submits the summary of its findings and the panel’s recommendations to the president, the panel will also send, concurrently, copies of both the summary of its findings and recommendation to the complainant and respondent. Section B Part 10 of the complaint procedure has now been revised to reflect this important clarification.

The full text of the revised SUNY Discrimination Complaint Procedures is available atwww.buffalostate.edu/equity/x751.xml.

From the Senior Adviser to the President for Equity and Campus Diversity

Buffalo State College is committed to the need for proper treatment of all members of the college community. The college can achieve its educational mission only in an atmosphere of mutual respect that is free from intolerance and that offers equal opportunity to all. Every member of the college community shares the responsibility for addressing incidents of disrespect for dignity of others, acts of discrimination, racism, bigotry, harassment, exclusion, abusive language, or mistreatment of individuals or groups.

Among the goals of the college is the empowerment of a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world. The college is dedicated to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual vitality, collegiality, and collaboration. It will not have attained its goal until and unless all in its midst obtain fair and equitable treatment in employment and education. For this reason, Buffalo State College condemns and pledges itself to fight against all acts of invidious discrimination, bias, intolerance, or harassment.

Racial discrimination is a particularly serious problem. The goals of the college are undermined and human dignity is offended where employment or educational benefits, opportunities, or privileges are denied or restricted on the basis of race, religion, color, or national origin, or where a racially hostile environment exists. Racial discrimination and illegal discrimination of any sort limit the opportunity for individuals to realize their potential and deny them the rigors, joys, and fulfillment of intellectual curiosity.

Therefore:

It is the policy of Buffalo State College to provide an employment and educational environment free from invidious discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital or veteran status. It shall be a violation of this policy for any agent, student, or employee of Buffalo State College to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital or veteran status against any individual with respect to the terms of employment, education, or benefits of any program or activity at Buffalo State College.

To implement this policy:

>> All college faculty, staff, and students are expected to comport themselves in a manner that does not convey to others in the college community any disrespect, intolerance, or rude behavior based on age; race; religion; color; national origin; gender; sexual orientation; disability; or marital, veteran, or socioeconomic status.

>> All members of the college community are expected to contribute to the college environment to move the college community in the direction of respect for all.

>> All persons within the college community who perceive that they have been subjected to discrimination or harassment based on age, race, religion, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital or veteran status, or sexual orientation are urged to present their concerns to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.

>> All faculty, staff, and students who know of a member of the community who believes that he or she has been subjected to discrimination or harassment are expected to encourage that person to go to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office and, if need be, to offer personal assistance to that person in making the visit to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office.

>> All supervisory and management staff have a responsibility to educate faculty, staff, and students about the value of diversity to the institution. To meet this responsibility supervisors, department heads, and management staff are expected to:

• Regularly communicate with employees and students under their supervision about the college's policy against discrimination, its commitment to diversity, and the need for civility in the community.
• Monitor their behavior to ensure that their behavior offers an appropriate model regarding the policy for employees and students under their supervision.
• Promptly and thoroughly respond to all reports or incidents of invidious discrimination or harassment in their area of responsibility.
• Identify and respect the needs of the victims of discrimination and attempt to restore collegiality and equity following reported incidents of discrimination.
• Confer directly with the Equity and Campus Diversity Office whenever reports or complaints of discrimination or harassment are brought to their attention in their area of responsibility or if they have concerns about an appropriate response to a concern or complaint.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The standing committees of the College Senate welcome new members. For the first time, committee chairs have posted “vacancies” for the standing committees. Please consider membership on a standing committee. The application form is available on the Committees page of the Senate Web site, along with instructions for completion. Chairs of the College Senate standing committees will establish committees, in most cases, prior to the first meeting of the College Senate in September.