The Buffalo State College Foundation celebrates the Power of the Arts at the 11th annual Buffalo State College Foundation Scholarship Gala on Saturday, April 26, at the Connecticut Street Armory. Student work representing 13 art programs, including visual arts, theater, and music, will provide an inspired, colorful backdrop for the popular black-tie dinner dance.

This year’s gala will be chaired by Anthony J. Baynes, ’79, owner and founder of the A. J. Baynes Group, and Eunice A. Lewin, friend of the college. BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and M&T Bank are the presenting sponsors. The theme magnifies Mayor Byron W. Brown’s declaration of 2008 as the Year of the Arts in Buffalo.

“Buffalo State College is home to the largest, most comprehensive visual arts program in the SUNY system,” said President Muriel A. Howard, who will host the gala. “We take pride in showcasing our students’ work and in celebrating the important role the arts play in transforming lives and communities.”

Proceeds from the gala help fund scholarships for deserving students in the college’s rigorous All College Honors Program. The program, which began in 1984 with 45 students and now supports 155 students, requires students to maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA and provides unique opportunities for scholarships, internships, and networking. Over the years, the gala has generated more than $1 million for the program.

At this year’s event, gourmet food and wine pairings will be provided by the Premier Group and Rich Renaissance Catering. A live auction and sweepstakes will feature all-inclusive travel packages, including a trip to Aruba, as well as priceless art, sports tickets, and luxury services. The cocktail reception begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7:30 p.m., dancing, and the auction. Tickets for the gala are $200 per person. Payroll deduction is available. For more information, contact Pamela Voyerdirector of special events and protocol, (716) 878-3725.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and Buffalo State’s Health and Wellness Department andEmployee Assistance Program (EAP) and the American Cancer Society are launching a campaign to help employees learn about the disease and how to prevent it. One hundred six people are diagnosed with cancer in Erie County each week, and 45 of them will eventually will die from the disease, according to the New York State Cancer Registry. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and the No. 1 cause of death for people between 45 to 85. Colorectal cancer is one of the major forms of cancer that can be detected early and can be easily and successfully treated. Yet it is the only type of cancer for which mortality rates have not decreased, because the rate of screening is significantly lower than for other forms of cancer nationally, statewide, and in Erie County.

Informational brochures, workshops, and online materials will be made available throughout the semester. The goal of this activity is to improve employees’ quality of life, reduce health-care and benefit costs, and reduce unnecessary deaths from colorectal cancer.

If you are interested in helping with the campaign by completing a short survey, please contact Susan Baldwin, assistant professor of health and wellness, (716) 878-6503, for more information.

Your participation in this survey will automatically enter you in a raffle for one of several prizes. Those who are interested but do not have Internet access can call the Health and Wellness Department at (716) 878-6501 or (716) 878-6502 for assistance.

Constituent questions have been included on the College Senate agenda since 1971. Since October 2007,Responses to Constituent Questions have been posted electronically on the Senate Web site after each meeting of the College Senate.

The February 15, 2008, document contains answers to questions on a variety of topics. If you have questions to be answered at Senate meetings, you may contact any senator and ask that your question be brought forth. Normally, a response will be best addressed (if research is required) if you share your question(s) with both the senator and the College Senate e-mail address one week in advance of the Senate meeting.

The last two meetings of the College Senate will take place on April 11 and May 9.

Four at-large and one University Faculty Senate position will become vacant on August 25. A call for nominations and information about candidates’ statements can be found on the Senate Web site. The call for nominations began Monday, March 17, and will continue through Friday, April 4. Elections will begin Monday, April 7, and continue through Friday, April 18.

Faculty members, faculty librarians, and professional and support staff whose total service in the College Senate would not exceed six consecutive years by the end of this term (September 2008–August 2011) are eligible to run for office. Nominees are asked to provide a short statement about their interest in serving as an at-large or University Faculty senator, and post their statements on the Senate electronic voting site. Details are provided on the Senate Web site.

Individuals running for a senator position in another election may not also run for an at-large senator or university senator position while the other election is being conducted. If the other election concludes during the period when nominations for at-large or university senator are still being accepted, eligible individuals may self-nominate for either position.

If you are interested in being a candidate, please contactVincent Masci, (716) 878-5139. We look forward to your participation in the vital process of campus governance.

Requisitions for supplies, materials, services, and equipment from fiscal year 2007–2008 funds must be received in the Purchasing Office by the close of business on the following dates:

$20,000 or more (noncontract)
Thursday, May 1

$20,000 or more (contract)
Monday, June 2

Less than $20,000
Friday, June 13

Purchase requisitions for computer equipment and equipment replacement requirements, as well as purchases through OfficeMax for office supplies, also must adhere to these deadlines.

Important note: It is the responsibility of departments to ensure that all requisitions for fiscal year 2007–2008 are received in the Purchasing Office by the above deadlines. Late requisitions will not be processed. Requests received through campus mail after the deadlines will be returned.

Call Terri Locher in the Purchasing Office at (716) 878-4113 with questions.

In an effort to make Buffalo State College more environmentally responsible, a group of dedicated staff members launched a sustainability initiative calledEVERGREEN in 2004. Proponents today are quick to point out that the movement involves much more than just recycling.

According to Lauren A. White, a business services assistant with Campus Services and EVERGREEN volunteer, creating a greener campus is also about knowing what to recycle, conserving energy, and changing behaviors. She says that increased awareness is the key to success.

“I don’t think that people are trying to not recycle,” said White. “It’s about knowing what you actually can recycle. The list is growing—even bubble wrap, light bulbs, and hardcover books can be recycled now.”

Beyond being an initiative, EVERGREEN is also an organization open to all members of the Buffalo State community. Meetings are held weekly at 3:00 p.m. on the third floor of Central Receiving.

Members regularly inform the campus via the Daily and other communication vehicles about ways to conserve energy and be part of the green movement. Recent tips have included using both sides of paper for printing, switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs, and reusing plastic water bottles by filling them with filtered tap water.

Last year, EVERGREEN took efforts to a national scale by entering Buffalo State in RecycleMania, a 10-week waste-reduction competition begun in 2001 that now involves more than 400 colleges and universities across the United States. Institutions compete in various contests to see which collects the largest amount of recyclables per capita and which has the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, and the highest recycling rate. The biggest recyclers are recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Buffalo State is again involved in this year’s competition, which started on January 20 and ends April 5. As of March 1, Buffalo State ranked near the middle of all competition categories, faring best in waste minimization. While the overall goal of RecycleMania is to create public awareness, White strongly encourages faculty, staff, and students to boost recycling efforts in the remaining weeks of the competition.

Other EVERGREEN initiatives include participation inBuffalo Blue Bicycle, a community bicycle-lending program; “Don’t Throw It Out,” an end-of-semester collection of nonperishable food, appliances, clothing, and furniture from residence halls that is donated to local charities; public awareness information tables in the Campbell Student Union; and Earth Day activities, which include community cleanup projects, guest speakers, and contests. This spring, the organization will place 20 dual trash/recycle bins outside in the quad area between the Campbell Student Union and E. H. Butler Library.

EVERGREEN has accomplished much in a few short years, despite the lack of an official recycling department or budget. Members foresee plenty of room for growth in the coming years. Ambitions include an expansion of rooftop gardens, the installation of wind power, and updates to all lighting and climate systems across campus.

“There’s always room to grow,” said White. “The campus is big, and there’s always someone new to educate. We’re making great strides, and I’m happy with where we’re going. All it takes is a little bit from everybody.”

Campus House director Kathleen O’Brien had admirable but modest goals when the fledgling club opened in 2002. The private social club for faculty, staff, and friends of the college was to double as a teaching lab where hospitality students could learn and practice. But she never dreamed its success would lead to so many other positive outcomes.

True to its precept, Campus House remains an applied component for students in the hospitality administration program, a place to execute the skills they’ve learned in the classroom. Students earn academic credit as they apply concepts in hospitality to food and beverage research, safety, preparation, and service.

“Service is management, and we aspire to world-class service,” said O’Brien, who supervises students in the front-of-house practicum, HTR 480, and teaches classes in event, club, and tourism management.

O’Brien works closely with Stephen Burgeson, clinical lecturer, who teaches the back-of-house practicum, HTR 300: Food and Beverage Management, as well as multicultural foods and catering management. Shetice Williams, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, is Campus House chef.

Alexander Marcus, a hospitality major who will graduate in May, says the hands-on experience coupled with the lab provides the ideal learning environment. “We discuss readings from the chapters, but then we get to put all the terms and concepts into practice,” said Marcus. “It makes everything we learn more familiar.”

Community Partnerships
O’Brien says club initiatives are undertaken with the triple goals of education, creativity, and economy. Each week, an hour-long mini-seminar, or “Learning Blast,” infuses themes such as wines or etiquette into the curriculum.

One week a semester, the Learning Blast features chefs from Wegmans who teach cooking techniques and share insider tips. Chefs from upscale local restaurants also make guest appearances at Campus House, usually once a semester, in conjunction withMember Loyalty Night. These visits allow students to observe professionals up close and to forge valuableinternship andemploymentconnections in one of the fastest-growing and most competitive industries today.

“We’ve had some big names here,” said Burgeson. “Mark Hutchinson [of Hutch’s], Michael Andrzejewski from Sea Bar, Chris Salvati from Lombardo’s…”

“The dynamic is something to see,” said O’Brien. “The chefs usually stay and mingle with members afterward,” she said. “They seem to really enjoy themselves, and we get to demonstrate our top-notch facility and our talented students. Buffalo State really gets a chance to shine.”

Campus House is part of the newly formed Restaurant Institute, an initiative to help aspiring restaurateurs open and manage independent establishments. The club also hosts the department’s annual Ambassador Awardsceremony each year, honoring local industry professionals.

Members Make It Happen
Support for Campus House has been consistently strong;membership now stands at 361. Members meet for lunch or drinks, entertain job candidates and guests, convene meetings, and celebrate retirements and birthdays there.

“Campus House provides a relaxed atmosphere that promotes collaboration and fosters friendships among those who may not otherwise get an opportunity to interact,” said Rita Zientek, associate dean of the School of the Professions and member of the club’s board of directors. “It’s also a great way for new employees to gain a sense of belonging to the college community.”

Special events include themed parties like this Friday’sDublin House, the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration, orBeaujolais Nouveau, an annual wine-tasting event, in November. Expanded networking hours from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday–Friday now include complementary hors d’oeuvres. And each semester, Member Loyalty Night honors the patrons who make it all possible.

“For many of us, the atmosphere, characters, amenities, and good times make it like our own version of Cheers,” said Andrew Nicholls, associate professor of history and social studies education. “Member Loyalty Night is one of the ways members are shown that this is our place.”

Richard Lee, former dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Science Education, founding member of the club, and current board member, recently donated funds for the construction of an outdoor patio, scheduled for completion this summer.

So Goes the Program
As the Campus House community strengthens, so does the hospitality administration program. Student enrollment, now at 244, has more than doubled since Campus House opened. The alumni bond has strengthened, too.

“Students who graduate keep close ties to the program and the club,” said O’Brien. “What strikes me most when I look back are the unintended outcomes,” said O’Brien. “Campus House has ushered in so many good things that none of us could have ever foreseen. And every one of them directly benefits the students.”

The Banner Implementation Project reports that Banner will not become the “official system of record” on March 24 as planned, and that the next implementation window will occur the weekend of May 31–June 1.

Don Erwin, associate vice president for information services and systems and Banner project manager, said, “While we would like to have completed the cutover by the end of March, we can’t make the switch unless we are confident that the system, the data, and our users are ready. Our next opportunity is the last weekend in May.”

To date, the Banner Implementation Project has successfully completed most of its Phase 1 objectives, including implementation of Banner’s financial aid, student accounts, registration, and undergraduate admissions components. Left to do? Launch the graduate admissions component and replace STARS, making Banner the college’s “official system of record.” STARS will remain the system of record until Banner takes over, and users can expect that data in STARS and other existing data sources (i.e., student work file) will be maintained until the cutover.

According to Erwin, “Although we are disappointed, we know that this gives end users some extra time to prepare for using Banner as the single source of student information.”

Banner, made by SunGard, is used nationwide and on more than 45 SUNY campuses.

The enrollment management software suite comes with robust standard capabilities and also allows room for advanced custom development. In addition, adopting Banner allows the college to leverage Student Information and Campus Administrative Systems (SICAS) Center licensing discounts and take advantage of SICAS’s attunement to SUNY- and New York State-specific reporting and financial aid requirements.

Please visit the Banner Project Web site for more information on Banner, including a complete list of features, the team’s production schedule, and a project Q&A.

Buffalo State’s newest leaders are in the making.Leadership development is part of Buffalo State’s strategic directions, which include a commitment to “empower leadership at all levels, promote representative and inclusive governance, and provide superior services to the campus community.”

“Being a leader is about being strategic versus just knowing how to be a manager,” said Marie Mance, director of leadership development. “There’s a delicate balance in higher education of succession and bringing in new people and ideas. The leadership programs we offer at Buffalo State help good people think more broadly about what they’d like to accomplish, what they’d like to learn, and how to position themselves as people others would think of first for leadership support.

“Leadership is teachable,” she continued. “The key capacities needed for effective leadership— self-awareness, systemic thinking, and creativity—are developable.”

Two leadership programs—“Achieving Success through Leadership” (ASL) and “Emerging College Leaders” (ECL)—stemmed from planning via task forces created in conjunction with the 2003–2008 Strategic Plan. By the 2005–2006 academic year, the first sessions of both programs had launched.

The third installment of ASL, a yearlong program tailored to department chairs, directors, and managers, will be under way soon. ECL, an abbreviated program for other faculty and professional staff members, begins this May. The fourth installment will include roughly 15 members from across campus.

Both programs—which were developed by Mance, the Strategic Planning Office, and the International Center for Studies in Creativity—focus heavily on self-awareness as the key to effective leadership.

Christine Cali knows that well. A recent ECL graduate, she presented creative problem solving tools at last week’s annual conference for the National Student Exchange.

“The program helped me look at my own leadership style and grow,” said Cali, an assistant with the Special Programs Office. “I gained the necessary skills to generate more ideas and look at situations from different angles, which leads to a more comprehensive solution.”

Don Erwin, associate vice president for information systems and services, is also a recent ECL graduate. As a result of the program, he established relationships with many people he might not have otherwise met and also gained a new perspective on leadership that was helpful in creating the Banner system.

“At first, I didn’t consider myself a leader, particularly because I didn’t have many support staff members reporting to me,” said Erwin. “But I learned that actions and communication are what define a leader, not just an assigned role. I think the more faculty and staff who can participate in leadership development programs will help effect positive change.”

Susan Hall, a lecturer and coordinator of business marketing and education, said her training last May could not have come at a better time. She had just become president of the Business Teachers Association of New York State.

“The group was in need of strategic changes,” said Hall, “and the Emerging College Leaders program helped me learn how to better brainstorm and provide creative organization. With a team, I helped develop a mission, vision, and tagline, as well as increase and provide greater value to our members.”

This year, about 10 participants will experience the intensive ASL program, which includes 360-degree assessments, a series of workshops, monthly group meetings, and individualized coaching and development plans. The ECL program will run over the course of two weeks in May, with follow-up meetings later in the year. Sessions include a series of self-assessment tests, workshops, and individual development planning.

“Everyone is in a different place and has different development needs,” said Mance. “Feedback is so important because it helps you know if the things you’re trying are working. People may tell you things you never would have known. For effective leadership development, it’s all about undergoing assessment, being challenged while you learn, and having support to grow.”

All of last year’s ASL participants agree they feel more confident as leaders within their departments, are able to apply skills in their daily responsibilities, and are better able to handle challenging interpersonal situations.

Erwin said that other campuses are “insanely jealous” that Buffalo State offers leadership development programs—particularly with support at the highest level as part of strategic goals. Mance echoes Erwin’s sentiment.

“Our campus prides itself in helping others learn and getting them to think about developing leadership skills to, in turn, help others,” she said. “The overall idea is that if everyone does a little something, the college as a whole will move forward.”

From the Vice President for Institutional Advancement
I am pleased to invite the faculty and staff at Buffalo State College to join me in supporting the 2008 Faculty and Staff Appeal. Since its inauguration in 1988, the Faculty and Staff Appeal has grown from 48 donors to 472, and the amount raised annually has increased from $3,800 to $151,000.

Your gifts have funded hundreds of scholarships and awards to Buffalo State College students, providing moneys for tuition and student fees, purchasing books, defraying the cost of health insurance, or even helping with the cost of transportation to and from campus. Whether based on achievement or financial need, without this financial assistance, many students would not be able to complete their degrees. There are many ways to help; scholarships and awards are available to students in every discipline. Or you may prefer to support a specific academic program, athletics, international education, or other area. A list of funds is available on the Web site.

Leading the Faculty and Staff Appeal this year are Dolores Battle, Claire Collier, Marian Deutschman, Mary Durlak, Carolyn Fusco, Maryruth Glogowski, Karen Johnson, Lisa Krieger, Marsha Moses, Holly Quicksey, Stephen Schwartz, Daniel Vélez, and Rita Zientek. We are grateful for the dedication they have demonstrated to Buffalo State. We also have nearly 70 departmental volunteers who are integral to our success, and their support, too, is appreciated. When you are contacted, I hope you will respond generously with a donation or pledge.

Sir Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Please join us in making a difference for the Buffalo State College community.