From the Vice President for Institutional Advancement
The campus community is encouraged to attend informative presentations on March 17, 18, and 20 by national marketing firms whose expertise is in higher education brand development. Buffalo State’s College Relations Office will host representatives from the three finalist agencies, who will present their proposals on capabilities and how to best position the college for future success.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to a morning or midday presentation at their convenience. For more information, contact Tim Walsh, associate vice president for college relations, 878-4218.

Tuesday, March 17
Stamats Inc.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Beatrice Szalas
E. H. Butler Library 210
8:45 to 10:15 a.m.
or
10:30 a.m. to noon
www.stamats.com

Wednesday, March 18
Educational Marketing Group Inc.
Aurora, Colorado
Bob Brock, President
Moot Hall Conference Room
9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
or
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
www.emgonline.com

Friday, March 20
Carnegie Communications LLC
Westford, Massachusetts
Debra Godfrey, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing Research/Brand Strategist
E. H. Butler Library 210
9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
or
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
www.carnegiecomm.com

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
This policy describes the assignment, use, and management of desk and cellular telephones and mobile computing devices by employees of Buffalo State College.

Policy
Desk and cellular telephones and portable computing devices are to be used for official business-related activities only. Personal use of telephones should be limited to emergency calls. Payment for reimbursement of personal desk or cellular telephone calls should be forwarded to the Accounting Office. Personal use of laptops and other mobile computing devices should be kept to a minimum.

Cellular Telephones
Cellular telephones and broadband cards may be assigned only to employees whose duties and responsibilities require immediate or remote communications capabilities. The assignment of cellular telephones and broadband cards must be approved by the vice president for finance and management, who will review assignments annually to ensure compliance with this policy.

Each employee assigned a mobile device shall be primarily responsible for its security and maintenance, and must immediately report any theft, loss, damage, or vandalism of the unit.

New York State law prohibits the use of handheld cellular phones while driving.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
The Environmental Health and Safety Office has made available a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Survey questionnaire and an updated campus Storm Water Management Plan on its Web site. The campus community is encouraged to fill out the questionnaire and review and comment on the management plan, which has been modified to reflect changes to campus conditions and new requirements of the storm water discharge permit, issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The survey questionnaire and management plan are part of ongoing efforts to increase awareness and inform the campus of the need and methods to prevent and reduce storm water pollution while identifying opportunities for improvement. The survey questionnaire, management plan, instructions for submittal, and additional information on storm water pollution prevention can be obtained from the EH&S Environmental Programs Web site, or by calling the Environmental Health and Safety Office at 878-4038.

From the Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Faculty members are asked to complete a Web survey about their use or desired use of technology on campus. Questions pertain to technology used in classrooms, software, and faculty and student access.

The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and will close at the end of business on Friday, March 20. Respondents are anonymous; responses cannot be traced back to any individual. Results will be distributed through associate deans and directors to share with faculty and staff.

The survey is located athttps://survey.itec.suny.edu/opinio/s?s=2935. If you have problems accessing the survey, please e-mailopiniohelp@gmail.com. Please note “Faculty Survey” in the subject line of the e-mail.

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
To comply with New York State Ethics Commission regulations (Title 19 NYCRR Part 930 of the Public Officers Law), the college is required to annually report honoraria received by full-time faculty and professional and management/confidential employees. An honorarium is defined as “a payment, fee, or other compensation given to an individual for services rendered not related to the individual’s official state duties.” It also includes payment for travel expenses when the expenses incurred are unrelated to the employee’s duties.

Examples of honoraria include compensation for delivering a speech, writing an article, or attending a meeting. Honoraria do not include salary, wages, or fees earned from outside employment. Faculty are not required to declare honoraria received within their academic disciplines.

Although reporting honoraria is required, obtaining prior approval of requests to receive honoraria is optional rather than mandatory. However, the college encourages employees to seek prior approval from the president’s designee (your respective vice president) before engaging in an activity that leads to the receipt of honoraria.

If you receive honoraria during the period April 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009, and do not request prior approval from your vice president, you will be required to report the source, date, and amount of honoraria received to your vice president by May 8, 2009.

Information regarding reporting of honoraria can be found on the New York State Ethics Commission Web site. Questions should be directed to Susan Earshen, associate vice president for human resource management, at 878-3042.

From the Chair of the College Senate
The next meeting of the College Senate will be held tomorrow, March 13, at 3:00 p.m. in Classroom Building C122. The meeting will feature Carl Wiezalis, president of the University Faculty Senate, who will speak to the Senate.

From the Vice President for Institutional Advancement
The campus community is encouraged to attend informative presentations on March 17, 18, and 20 by national marketing firms whose expertise is in higher education brand development. Buffalo State’s College Relations Office will host representatives from the three finalist agencies, who will present their proposals on capabilities and how to best position the college for future success.

Faculty, staff, and students are invited to a morning or midday presentation at their convenience. For more information, contact Tim Walsh, associate vice president for college relations, 878-4218.

Tuesday, March 17
Stamats Inc.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Beatrice Szalas
E. H. Butler Library 210
8:45 to 10:15 a.m.
or
10:30 a.m. to noon
www.stamats.com

Wednesday, March 18
Educational Marketing Group Inc.
Aurora, Colorado
Bob Brock, President
Moot Hall Conference Room
9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
or
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
www.emgonline.com

Friday, March 20
Carnegie Communications LLC
Westford, Massachusetts
Debra Godfrey, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing Research/Brand Strategist
E. H. Butler Library 210
9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
or
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
www.carnegiecomm.com

From the Vice President for Finance and Management
TIAA-CREF representatives will be on campus for individual consultations with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on the following days:

Wednesday, March 25 (Richard Thompson)
Thursday, April 9 (Bill Stark)
Wednesday, April 22 (Richard Thompson)

Sessions are by appointment only; all appointments will be held in E. H. Butler Library 210B between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Gain a greater level of confidence in your retirement portfolio. Representatives can help you evaluate your investments and answer your questions about financial matters. Visit tiaa-cref.org/moc or call (800) 732-8353 Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to schedule an appointment.

From the Provost
All tenured and tenure-track Buffalo State faculty members are eligible to apply for minigrants offered by the College and Community Partnerships Office. Grants are expected to range from $1,500–$2,000 and will be awarded in May.

Interested faculty should focus on partnerships that offer the greatest chance for meaningful community change, are mutually beneficial, and result in publishable scholarly research. Priority will be given to projects that contribute to the vitality of the region, especially the West Side of Buffalo. The 2008 awards covered a wide range of interests and included community partnerships with faculty in the Earth Sciences and Science Education, Exceptional Education, Social Work, and Biology departments. Potential community partners should fit into the three areas of focus in the College Strategic Plan: education, arts/culturals, and community/economic development.

Full application, guidelines, and selection criteria are available online along with a list of existing partnerships in departments across campus. Frequently asked questions about partnerships are also on the Web site to help define directions for applicants.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 4:00 p.m. Monday, April 6. A panel of reviewers will evaluate the proposals and announce the awards by Monday, May 11. Research, scholarship, and creative activities should be conducted from June 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009.

Hard copies of guidelines and further instructions for applying can be obtained from the College and Community Partnerships Office, Cleveland Hall 211A.

Please call Marian Deutschman, interim director of college and community partnerships, at 878-4132 with questions.

A Casting Hall alumni reunion will be held March 20–22 on campus and in favorite Elmwood haunts. The celebration begins with lunch in the Flexible Theatre in the Donald Savage Theater and Communication Building, followed by a series of workshops and roundtable discussions for Casting Hall alumni and current students. An alumni-only reception takes place in the evening. The following day features a variety of activities on campus and around Buffalo, including the Casting Hall production of The Grapes of Wrath in Warren Enters Theatre. After the show, the party continues with “The World’s Biggest Cast Party” downtown at the Lafayette Tap Room. A farewell brunch will be held Sunday morning at Coles. To participate or for more information, contact Drew Kahn, Theater Department chair and professor, 878-6421. Full details can be found online.