A recent report by the Modern Language Association cites a 13 percent enrollment increase in foreign-language classes at American colleges and universities, with Arabic and Chinese showing the most dramatic gains. Buffalo State’s Modern and Classical Languages Department is experiencing the same trend.

Although Spanish and French continue to be the dominant classes in the department, enrollment in these areas has been down slightly in recent years while Chinese continues to strengthen, according to Deborah Hovland, associate professor and department chair.

“We’re making adjustments to meet student demand,” she said. “We offered a third-year-level Chinese class for the first time this fall, and are excited about the debut of Arabic 101 this spring.”

“Language departments have changed, just as the world has changed,” added Marcia Burns, secretary of Modern and Classical Languages. “I think politics also dictates what’s popular. I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s when more college students became interested in learning the Russian language.”

The Modern and Classical Languages Department regularly offers seven languages—Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish, and Swahili—with 14 classes at the 100 level this semester. About 75 students major in French, Spanish, or foreign-language education, while many more minor in French, German, Italian, or Spanish.

According to Burns, Buffalo State enrollment statistics would appear skewed over the course of this decade, since the foreign-language requirement recently dropped from four to two classes. The move essentially eliminated demand for 200-level courses, but resulted in “more serious students” remaining for 300-level courses.

The intro-level Arabic class, which becomes the eighth language offered by the department, will be taught by Associate Professor Rafika Merini on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. Six students have already signed up for the 3-credit course, which is an alternative to a longer 5-credit course offered by the University at Buffalo. Hovland said Buffalo State students occasionally took Arabic classes at UB, and she welcomes any UB students wishing to take advantage of the shorter class now offered here.

Merini’s aim for students upon completion of Arabic 101 is that they be able to use the language in “everyday situations to express immediate and straightforward practical information.” She will teach Arabic script, vocabulary, verb conjugation, and sentence structure.

In addition to the variety of classes, Burns points to other offerings that make for a strong department, such as active French, German, and Spanish clubs; small class sizes; a certification program for foreign-language education; immersion programs in Quebec, Italy, and Spain; and a French suite in North Wing. “This semester, we’re graced by the presence of Fulbright Scholar Hélène Loncke,” said Burns. “She and seven students live in the suite, and they all have to speak French when they’re there. It’s part of a 3-credit class, and the students keep journals of their experiences.” Additionally, Burns said the department is working with the College Senate to build a foreign-language education master’s program and is also hoping to create a Seneca language class.

As for the increased interest in Chinese and the addition of Arabic 101, Hovland said the shift not only answers a need, but also reflects Buffalo State students. “Students here are practical,” she said. “They want to apply what they learn, not only in the academic sense but especially on the job. For example, more students are taking Chinese not only because China is in the news and because there is an increased presence of Chinese students on campus, but particularly because it’s a tremendous asset in the business world.”

Hovland and Burns agree that language classes are doubly effective when they are part of cross-disciplines. They point to programs such as hospitality and tourism, education, international studies, and political science as natural complements for students. And regardless of how times may change, Hovland says, there will always be a need to study languages other than English.

“Certainly, modern and classical languages offer many practical applications, such as teaching abroad,” she said. “But it’s also a joy to study a language, in and of itself.”

Members of the Buffalo State community traveled to Saratoga Springs November 12–14 to take part in a SUNY-wide energy and sustainability summit. Attendees explored how a greater focus on energy and the environment can bolster economic development and education throughout SUNY centers.

Buffalo State representatives included Joseph Ball, associate director for campus services; John Bleech, environmental programs manager in the Environmental Health and Safety Office; Camille Holmgren, assistant professor of geography and planning; Tamara Horstman-Riphahn, executive assistant to the dean of the School of Education; and Bettina Martinez-Hackert, earth sciences support specialist.

Participants heard from a variety of prominent government and business leaders, as well as SUNY faculty and staff. They viewed exhibits such as an alternative fuel car and a tabletop solar/hydrogen powered home, and displays such as residence hall energy savings, sustainability in art design, biowaste conversion to bioenergy, and other relevant topics. The conference also served to advance the recommendations contained in the SUNY Energy Task Force report, which provided the basis for a new SUNY-wide paradigm on energy use.

“SUNY is striving to become more energy efficient than the California State University system,” said Martinez-Hackert. “The new paradigm is with the president [Howard], and the time for discussion is over. We’ve been asked by SUNY to start making changes now.”

As part of the SUNY energy policy, all new buildings, additions, and major renovation projects must meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver rating requirements beginning in 2008. The LEED rating system is a national benchmark for high-performance green buildings.

Martinez-Hackert said she gained enthusiasm by meeting so many people interested in making SUNY campuses greener, and she thinks that getting the entire SUNY system on board is an “amazing first step” toward lasting change.

Holmgren, a first-year assistant professor at Buffalo State, said the information she learned will be helpful for her curricula and meaningful for her students. “I’m teaching global climate change but am new to this region, so the summit really helped me learn about what others are doing locally and statewide,” she said. “There’s a lot of movement within SUNY. It was interesting to learn about initiatives to reduce energy, new regional climate models, biofuels and research, and many ideas and solutions for a greener environment.”

Martinez-Hackert sees the new requirements and the upcoming Math and Science Complex construction project as an opportunity for Buffalo State to be a green building role model.

“I know we’re now required to meet the LEED Silver level, but it’d be nice if we strived for the Gold level,” she said. “My hope is that future draft designs will provide more sunlight throughout the building. How awful is it to have a totally enclosed office with no windows and natural lighting? Effectively, it needs to be lit using electricity. Really, if the new Math and Science Complex at Buffalo State does not embrace green building, who else will? The rest of the community—even outside the campus—looks to scientists for knowledge and encouragement.”

In conjunction with SUNY’s new mandates, Martinez-Hackert said, everyone should start thinking “green” in everyday lifestyles. Print fewer or no PowerPoint slides on paper, use ANGEL more for record storing, and turn off the lights at the end of each work day, she advises.

“We should ask ourselves what we can do right now to make a small difference,” she said. “Other universities are doing a lot more than we are. It’s time to start putting SUNY’s strategies into practice.”

Looking for a convenient way to do some holiday shopping without leaving campus? Would you like your dollars to benefit Buffalo State students and the Burchfield-Penney Art Center as well? Then mark your calendars for the 11th annual Student Art Show and Sale on December 5 and 6 in Upton Gallery, and the Burchfield-Penney Art Center Museum Store holiday sale in Rockwell Hall December 6–9.

Art education, design, and fine arts students will literally be “running the show,” which includes marketing the sale, setting up displays, and selling unique works of art. In past years, the sale has offered jewelry, pottery, paintings, scarves, furniture, and more, all created by students.

Last year’s sale brought in close to $10,000. Seventy-five percent of the funds are returned to students; the remaining proceeds fund the subsequent year’s sale and are returned to campus art and design studios to enhance or replace equipment.

The student sale runs Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Burchfield-Penney Museum Store Sale
Next, head to the Burchfield-Penney Art Center Museum Store, another perfect place for holiday shopping, where Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff will receive a 10 percent discount on all purchases from Thursday, December 6, through Sunday, December 9. Burchfield-Penney members will also receive their member discounts.

Find unique gifts, one-of-a-kind works of art by local artists, beautiful jewelry by Western New York designers, great gifts for kids, and an amazing selection of books about Charles Burchfield, Western New York art, and Buffalo Niagara. All proceeds benefit both the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and the Western New York artists whose work is available for sale in the shop. Store hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday.

As Buffalo State strives for 100 percent accreditation of eligible programs, one faculty member’s reporting methods are a model for the campus community and for comparable programs nationwide.

A report compiled by Judith Bondurant-Utz, professor of exceptional education, has been identified by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) as an exemplar for programs that were granted full accreditation by their appropriate specialized program associations. Her work has been posted as a model on the NCATE Web site.

Bondurant-Utz submitted the report last spring in preparation for the Board of Examiners visit in April. Program evaluators from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) reviewed the early childhood special education master’s degree program to ensure that graduates have mastered standards set by NCATE and the CEC. The report, which details Bondurant-Utz’s meticulous course structure and rubrics, was approved without condition.

“When you are an exemplar, it is definitely a high-level reinforcement of your work,” she said. “It validates everything I’ve been working on. It makes you feel proud.”

Sharon Cramer, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of exceptional education, assisted Bondurant-Utz during the entire reporting process. The longtime friends and colleagues have both served in various leadership capacities with the CEC since the 1980s, experiences which proved valuable when constructing the report.

“Through our involvement with the CEC, we have a thorough understanding of the reasoning behind certain questions and topics,” Cramer said. “The CEC is striving to make us reflective practitioners. This report is excellent example of that.”

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

New Program:
M.S. Foreign Language Teaching K–12 (1199)

New Course:
AED 634 Workplace Literacy

All updates provided at the November 16 meeting of the College Senate are provided on the College Senate Web site, including information about the status of book adoptions by faculty (thus far, 50 percent of faculty have submitted their book orders for spring 2008, and textbook buy-back begins in two weeks) as well as a document containing information for use by faculty and students to save and post electronic documents.

Action took place with regard to BSC 301: the recommendation for delayed implementation of BSC 301 (from fall 2008 to fall 2010) was approved.

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 her 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 vice president for academic affairs and notify University Police of the decision. University Police 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 her 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 the Grant Street lot 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 report to regular work locations and perform regular duties, even if their supervisor is absent.
3. If the employee's regular work location is not accessible, the employee must report to the director of Campus Services and Facilities, Clinton Center, ext. 6111, or the director of Residence Life, Porter Hall, ext. 3000, for assignment.

The college will remain open during the weeks of December 24 and December 31, except for the official state holidays, December 25, 2007, and January 1, 2008.

Individual employees may, of course, request vacation and personal leave for other days between December 24 and December 31.

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve fall on Mondays this year, and we anticipate that many employees will request to use vacation or personal leave on one or both of those days. If all employees in a department or unit request leave on December 24 and/or December 31, department heads have been notified that they may request approval from their vice president to close the office.

Supervisors and department heads may approve requests for other days in the holiday week (December 26, 27, and 28) as long as there is adequate staffing to allow the department to remain open and provide services. Deans and other unit heads will establish plans for provision of service during the period. Supervisors are encouraged to be as flexible as possible in granting leave requests during the holiday week. Because the holiday week is a relatively quiet time on campus, every effort must be made to ensure the safety of employees who would be working alone or in isolated areas. Department heads have been asked to contact Susan Earshen, director of human resource management, to discuss any concerns regarding employee safety.

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a revised Employment Eligibility Form (I-9), which must be used for all new hires as of November 7, 2007.

Changes to the form include a reduction in the number of documents employers may accept from newly hired employees to verify employment eligibility. The new Form I-9 (Rev 06/05/07) N is the only version of the form that is valid for new hires.

The revised I-9 form with a list of acceptable documents and instructions can be found on the Human Resource Management Web site.

If you have any questions regarding the revised I-9 form, please call the Payroll Office at ext. 4124.

Critique and Evaluation Period (CEP) for fall 2007 will take place on Monday, December 10; Tuesday, December 11; Wednesday, December 12; and Thursday, December 13. A study day will be held on Friday, December 7.

The purpose of CEP is to provide a single class meeting during which faculty and students have an extended period of uninterrupted time to conduct appropriate end-of-course activities. CEP is designed for classes that meet more than once a week during the semester. Classes (evening or day) that meet only once a week have sufficient time for final evaluation; therefore, they follow their regular schedules (exams to be scheduled duringCEP and not before).

The following regulations govern CEP:

• A study day will occur the weekday immediately prior to the start of CEP. Evening classes that meet only once a week will not have a study day.
• All instructors are expected to meet their classes at the scheduled time during CEP and to choose an appropriate activity that reflects the academic goals of the course and the intent of CEP (e.g., an exam, a review, critique of papers, course summation, or individual presentations or demonstrations).
• Instructors will not schedule a final exam prior to CEP. Instructors may not change the date and time of their final class periods during CEP. In case of emergencies, instructors should confer with their appropriate dean and notify University College.
• CEPs will be scheduled for one-hour-and-50-minute periods. Instructors are not to increase or decrease the scheduled CEP time.
• In case of an emergency that would close the school, CEPs scheduled for the time of the closing will be rescheduled on the emergency CEP day only.
• Faculty members must post office hours during which they will be available to meet with students during CEP week.