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
WECK-AM 1230
WHLD-AM 1270
WLVL-AM 1340
WJJL-AM 1440
WWKB-AM 1520

FM Radio
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

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
The Internal Control Act of the State of New York establishes certain standards that define a minimum level of quality acceptable for internal control systems. These internal control standards apply to all operations and administrative functions.

Among these standards is one for execution of transactions and events. Specifically, transactions and other events are to be authorized and executed only by persons acting within the scope of their authority. Another standard provides that all transactions and other significant events must be clearly documented and that the documentation be readily available for examination.

Grading and grades constitute administrative functions that are subject to the internal control standards. The advent of online grading makes it all the more important that these standards be explicated and followed.

Therefore:

• The entry of grades for students taking any coursework at Buffalo State College or any subsidiary thereof must be carried out by the faculty member in whose course the student is registered.
• In the event the faculty member is for any reason unable to personally enter these grades, a delegate must be named. This delegation must be approved in advance by the faculty member’s department chair and dean. The process for this approval will be as follows:

The faculty member shall, no later than two weeks prior to CEP, petition in writing to the dean via the department chair for permission to delegate to a specific individual. If approved, the faculty member and the delegate shall be advised in writing. The original request to delegate grading and a copy of the approval shall be retained in the dean’s office for inspection as needed. The two-week deadline may be waived by the dean in emergency situations.

• Under no circumstances may a faculty member delegate grading entry responsibility to an employee who is a student at the college.
•  

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
New York State procurement rules and regulations require that a state purchase order be prepared prior to the delivery of goods or services. The Procurement Office will not process for payment any invoice for goods or services without an official purchase order already on file. Payment for goods or services delivered before a purchase order is issued may be the responsibility of the employee who placed the order with the vendor.

If the New York State Comptroller’s Office finds that the college is not adhering to New York State procurement rules and regulations, the college may be subject to reduced procurement flexibility. In this case, fiscal controls would in turn be placed on offending departments.

If you have any questions about ordering goods and services, contact the Procurement Office at 878-4113.

From the Interim President
I am pleased to announce that the following individuals will serve on the 2009–2010 Honorary Degree Committee:

Betty Cappella, School of Education, committee chair; Jennifer Blanchard, President’s Office; Maryruth Glogowski, Information Services and Systems; Carol Hilarski, School of the Professions; Charles Kenyon, Student Affairs; Rachel Link, Institutional Advancement; Gary Pettibone, School of Natural and Social Sciences; Joseph Piccillo, School of Arts and Humanities; Jill Powell, Finance and Management; and Paul Theobald, the Graduate School.

The group is charged with identifying candidates for the State University of New York honorary doctorates, SUNY’s highest academic honor, and preparing nomination portfolios. Honorary degrees are awarded to recognize excellence that exemplifies the mission and purpose of the State University of New York in the following fields: public affairs, the sciences, humanities and the arts, scholarship and education, business and philanthropy, and social services.

Honorary degrees also can honor meritorious and outstanding service to the university, the state of New York, the United States, or humanity at large or people whose lives serve as examples of the university’s aspirations for its students.

Names of suggested nominees for SUNY honorary doctorates should be forwarded to Distinguished Service Professor Betty J. Cappella, c/o Maryruth Glogowski, E. H. Butler Library 134 or glogowmf@buffalostate.edu, by Friday, March 5, 2010.

From the Vice President for Institutional Advancement 
The Buffalo State Alumni Association welcomes nominations from faculty and staff for the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award, presented annually at Commencement. This prestigious honor is awarded to recognize alumni who meet the following criteria: (1) significant achievement and recognition in their field; (2) dedication to community service, civic affairs, and volunteerism on a local, state, national, or international level; and (3) demonstrated ongoing support for and loyalty to the college and its mission.

A maximum of three awards may be presented each year (no posthumous awards are given), and all nominations are active for three years, including the initial year of nomination. Recipients must be able to attend the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 15, 2010.

This is an opportunity to recognize an outstanding graduate whose career and service achievements have made a significant impact on Buffalo State College and the community. The deadline for 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award nominations is Friday, December 11. For a nomination form or a list of previous recipients, call the Alumni Affairs Office at 878-6001, or visit our online community to submit a nomination electronically.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Representatives from Community Blue, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan 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 current health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2010. Representatives from the CSEA and UUP Benefit Trust Funds will demonstrate how to maximize dental and vision care benefits. Employees can have their cholesterol checked or learn about the benefits of massage therapy. They can also obtain information about the Employee Assistance Program and meet EAP coordinators. A representative from Work-Life Services for New York State employees will also be on site, offering ideas on balancing work, home, and life issues.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
Each year, employees who are enrolled in the New York State Health Insurance Program may select a different health plan by completing change forms in the Human Resource Management Office. Employees may choose from the Empire Plan or one of the health maintenance organizations.

Employees 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 information about the new health plan rates and deadline dates to enrolled employees’ home addresses. “Choices,” a comparison booklet of the insurance plans, will be available in the Human Resource Management Office by mid-November. Please call 878-4821 to request a copy.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
This year’s annual period in which employees may voluntarily cancel their health insurance coverage, voluntarily decline coverage for their dependents, or change their pre-tax contribution is November 1–30, 2009. A form is required to make these changes. Note: Unless employees have a qualifying event, the 10-week waiting period still applies to enroll for health insurance for the first time, or to add previously eligible dependents to existing coverage.

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

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

New Courses:
CHE 628 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
CHE 629 Mass Spectrometry
ECO 407 Political Economy Classics
GEG 585 Interactive and Web-Based Mapping

New Course and Intellectual Foundations Designation:
TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
ANT 400 Ancient Materials

Course Revision and Intellectual Foundations Designation:
ORAL COMMUNICATION
CHE 471 Biochemical Techniques

From the Interim President
Letters notifying UUP employees that they have been awarded a discretionary salary increase for 2009 were mailed on Tuesday, October 27. UUP employees who did not receive an award letter are reminded that they may appeal the decision by November 4, 2009, as follows:

Appeal Process
The preliminary list of discretionary awards will be shared with vice presidents, deans, directors, and department chairs on the date discretionary award recipient letters are mailed to the employees.

• Any eligible faculty or professional staff member who is not notified by the interim president of an award by the designated date should assume that his or her name is not on the preliminary list. Employees not scheduled for an award, and employees dissatisfied with the amount of their award, may file an appeal with the Appeals Board.Reminder: self-nominations are no longer required to be eligible to appeal, and employees are no longer required to send a copy of their self-nominations to Human Resource Management.
• The Appeals Board includes the interim president, the interim provost, vice presidents, deans, and other administrative staff selected by the interim president. The board will consider written appeals of no more than 600 words. The board meets in closed session, and testimony or personal appeals will be by invitation only.
• Written appeals, addressed to theinterim president, must be delivered to the President’s Office by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Copies (not originals) of the appeal must also be provided to the associate vice president for human resource management (secretary to the Appeals Board) and to the appropriate vice president, dean, director, and department chair.
• Appeal candidates will be notified of the outcome of the appeal by November 16, 2009.
• Discretionary awards will be reflected in the paychecks dated December 10, 2009.