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. 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 the use of his or her natural talents and acquired skills, has demonstrated a commitment toward meeting the goals of higher education as set forth in the college’s mission statement. The recipients will 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 2009, May 2010, or August 2010 will be considered.

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
The Chancellor’s Award 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 will be recognized at a spring ceremony in Albany and at Commencement. Only students graduating between June 2009 and May 2010 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 both awards exceptthat a grade point average of 3.5 or higher is required for consideration 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: As measured by college and community service, the quality of extracurricular activities, and/or involvement in professional organizations.

Leadership/Creativity: Documented local, state, national, or international recognition for excellence (i.e., recipient of major national scholarships/athletic awards and/or recognition by national and international associations and honor societies). For Graduate Students: documented by 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 Monday, December 21.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management

Preface
This serves as a notice to new employees and a reminder to others of the procedures to follow during snow emergencies and other extraordinary circumstances. Offices and other facilities operated by the state may be closed only by order of the governor; however, the college president or his designee is authorized to cancel classes and recommend that all but essential service* employees not report to work.

Policy and Procedures
The president has delegated the authority to cancel classes and services to the vice president for finance and management. University Police is responsible for monitoring all relevant weather conditions and reporting to the vice president for finance and management.

If the decision to close the college and cancel classes is made before the start of the workday, the vice president for finance and management will inform University Police. If the decision to close is made once classes are in session, the vice president for finance and management will consult with the provost/vice president for academic affairs and notify University Police of the decision. University Police will notify College Relations, who will notify the following broadcast stations in either case:

AM Radio
WBEN-AM 930
WNED-AM 970
WECK-AM 1230
WHLD-AM 1270
WLVL-AM 1340
WJJL-AM 1440
WWKB-AM 1520

FM Radio
WBFO-FM 88.7
WBNY-FM 91.3 (campus)
WBUF-FM 92.9
WBLK-FM 93.7
WJYE-FM 96.1
WGRF-FM 96.9 (97 Rock)
WKSE-FM 98.5
STAR-FM 102.5
WEDG-FM 103.3
WHTT-FM 104.1
WYRK-FM 106.5

Television
WGRZ-TV 2
WIVB-TV 4
WKBW-TV 7
YNN Buffalo (Time Warner Cable Channel 9)

An early decision to close the college and cancel classes will be relayed to the stations listed above by about 6:00 a.m.

In addition, the College Relations Office will send a message via the NY-Alert system to all students, faculty, and staff members who have chosen to participate in this emergency notification system.

For information concerning cancellation of classes, please check the main page of the Buffalo State Web site,www.buffalostate.edu, or call the school closing information number, 878-5000. Please do not call any other number for this information.

Attendance Policy under Emergency Conditions
If classes and services are canceled before the workday begins, employees designated essential service* are required to report. All other employees are excused under emergency conditions but must charge the absence to appropriate leave accruals. Employees who elect to come to work may do so; however, the college cannot guarantee that they will be able to work at their usual locations or perform their normal duties. (See instructions below for employees who choose to report for work under emergency conditions.)

Should the closure occur during the workday, the vice president for finance and management will convey the decision to the other vice presidents, who will ensure that the announcement is communicated throughout their respective areas. Again, essential service* employees are required to remain on the job or report to work as scheduled in this instance. Following official closure, employees may leave their work sites and charge the remainder of their workday to appropriate leave accruals or continue working until their regular departure time.

Absences that result from the cancellation of classes and services must be charged to appropriate leave accruals as described below.

1. Vacation, personal, compensatory, or holiday leave.
2. Sick leave, but only in the event of personal or family illness.
3. Leave without pay. (A written request must be submitted to the Human Resource Management Office no later than the end of the pay period in which the attendance record is due.)

*Essential services are those that must be maintained to ensure the well-being and protection of those who reside on campus, as well as the maintenance and security of college property. The following functions are considered essential services. Employees assigned to these areas are required to report to work under emergency conditions:

• The law enforcement division of University Police.
• Campus Services and Facilities operations (all employees).
• Student health services (designated staff only).
• Residence Life (designated staff only).
• The dean of students.
• Staff responsible for the care and feeding of animals and maintenance of greenhouse facilities.

All employees who are designated essential service will be notified in writing by their department heads.

Directed Absences
Any employee who has reported to work and because of extraordinary circumstances beyond the employee's control (i.e., extremely hazardous conditions or physical plant breakdown) is directed by the college president or his designee to leave work shall not be required to charge this absence to leave accruals. Any such release of employees shall not create any right to equivalent time off to employees who are not directed to leave work. Supervisors, regardless of their good intentions, may not direct such absences.

Instructions for Nonessential Service Employees Who Elect to Report for Work under Emergency Conditions
Note: Parking may be severely restricted during periods of temporary emergency. Employees who report to work under these conditions must park in Lot F, G, M-2, or R so that other lots may be cleared of snow.

1. Employees must report to University Police, Chase Hall 110, to sign the Attendance Record/Emergency Conditions sheet. Employees also must sign the sheet before leaving campus.
2. Employees should report to regular work locations and perform regular duties, even if their supervisor is absent.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management

Monday, November 16
Flex Spending Account
Health Care Spending or Dependent Care Advantage Account:
Enroll online at www.flexspend.state.ny.us or call (800) 358-7202.

Friday, November 27
Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP)
Eligible CSEA, PEF, UUP, and M/C employees may forfeit three days of vacation or personal leave in exchange for a credit of up to $500 to be applied toward health insurance premiums in 2010.

Monday, November 30
* Voluntarily cancel your health insurance. 
* Change from family to individual coverage.
* Change your pre-tax status for insurance deductions.

Note: Without a qualifying event, the 10-week waiting period still applies to enroll in health insurance for the first time or to add previously eligible dependents to existing coverage.

Call the Employee Benefits Office at 878-4821 with questions or to make changes to health insurance coverage.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Employees who are enrolled in the New York State Health Insurance Program will have 30 days from the date the 2010 rates are approved and published to change their health insurance carriers. The New York State Employee Benefits Division will mail the new health plan rates and deadline dates to enrolled employees’ home addresses. “Choices,” a comparison booklet of the insurance plans, is available online. Employees may select a different health plan by completing change forms in the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 410.

Important note: Univera Healthcare will not be offered under NYSHIP for the 2010 program year. Employees who are currently enrolled in Univera Healthcare must change to the Empire Plan or a NYSHIP-approved HMO that serves the area where they live or work during the Option Transfer Period. Employees who are enrolled in Univera Healthcare who do not change their health insurance carrier during the Option Transfer Period will automatically be enrolled in the Empire Plan for the 2010 program year, effective January 1, 2010.

Representatives from the Empire Plan, Community Blue, and Independent Health will be on campus from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Thursday, December 3, in E. H. Butler Library 210 to answer questions about their health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2010.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office, 878-4821, with questions or for additional information.

From the Interim Provost
Members of the college faculty are invited to a special forum and conversation, “Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities,” from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 16, in E. H. Butler Library 210. This event will feature a national expert on disability law and practice, L. Scott Lissner, Ph.D., who is visiting the college to conduct a peer-review site visit of theDisability Services Office. A reception with Lissner will take place from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. R.S.V.P. by Friday, November 13, to Amy Rosen-Brand, interim director of disability services, 878-4500, if you plan to attend.

Lissner is the ADA coordinator and associate of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at the Ohio State University. He serves on the boards of directors for ADA-OHIO and the Association on Higher Education and Disability, the editorial board for Thompson’s Section 504 Compliance Handbook, the Columbus Advisory Committee on Disability Issues, and the Ohio Secretary of State’s ADA Advisory Committee, among other appointments.

Lissner will provide an update on changes in the law and general policies about providing classroom and testing accommodations for students linked with the Disability Services Office.

As part of the peer-review, Lissner invites faculty and staff feedback on the Disability Services Office, general campus access, and campus climate as it relates to disability. If you have feedback, positive or negative, please e-mail Lissner any time between now and November 19. Lissner will factor perceptions and information into his report and will not identify individuals providing input.

Questions about Lissner’s presentation or his visit to campus can be addressed to Charles B. Kenyon, associate vice president and dean of students, 878-4618.

From the Interim President
I have approved the following curricular item, which has been recommended by the appropriate dean, the College Senate, and the interim provost:

Course Revision:
BIO 498 Honors Research

From the Chair of the Senate Curriculum Committee

Advanced to the Interim President
The following have been approved by the Senate Curriculum Committee and forwarded to the interim president for review and approval:

Program Revision:
B.S. Criminal Justice, CRJ-BS-SP (0771)

New Courses:
PSM 610 Continuous Foundations of Applied Mathematics from a Problem-Solving Perspective
PSM 611 Discrete Foundations of Applied Mathematics from a Problem-Solving Perspective
PSM 612 Computational Foundations of Applied Mathematics from a Problem-Solving Perspective
PSM 620 Optimization of Discrete Models
PSM 621 Empirical Model Building
PSM 622 Modeling Change with Dynamical Systems
PSM 630 Numerical Linear Algebra
PSM 631 Eigenvalue Problems
PSM 632 Numerical Calculus 
PSM 640 Linear Regression and Correlation
PSM 641 Design and Analysis of Experiments
PSM 642 Nonparametric Statistics
PSM 650 Random Walks and Brownian Motion
PSM 651 Markov Chains
PSM 652 Continuous-Time Stochastic Processes
PSM 660 Logistic Regression 
PSM 661 Survival Analysis 
PSM 662 Time Series Analysis and Forecasting

From the Chair of the College Senate
The Senate’s Chairs and Agenda meetings will be held on Tuesday, November 24, at 2:00 p.m. instead of Wednesday, November 25, because of the Thanksgiving recess.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The College Senate and Academic Affairs will cosponsor an open forum from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1, in E. H. Butler Library 210. The forum will focus on how Buffalo State will approach the part of the Higher Education Opportunities Act of 2008 that requires campuses to share information about course costs (including textbooks) at the same time that students begin registering for courses.

This change was reported in the October 8, 2009, issue of the Bulletin. The campus panel members—Kevin Railey, interim provost; Lisa Krieger, Finance and Management; Lynn Puma and Chris Ouimet, Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore; Don Erwin, Information Services and Systems; and academic deans—will share the context for the approach and offer a preview of the modified Barnes & Noble site, as well as the information students will see in Banner. An electronic forum is available on the home page of the College Senate for questions posted before December 1.

From the Vice President for Finance and 

Management

If you open a window, please remember to close it. Open windows are the direct cause of freezing and rupturing pipes. The resulting water damage can be extensive and expensive. Again, please close all windows before you leave for the night and especially before you leave for the weekend.