The NYS and CSEA Partnership for Education and Training Tuition Benefits Program 2010–2011 provides educational benefits to help employees obtain a college degree, qualify for a promotion, update job skills, start a new career, or prepare for future state workforce needs.

» Eligible CSEA-represented New York State executive-branch employees can apply for two tuition benefits. Applications must be received by March 31, 2011.

» Any course taken must begin between April 1, 2010, and March 31, 2011, or the employee must be actively participating in the course sometime between these dates.

» Eligible employees can also receive reimbursement for an unlimited number of credit-by-examinations (up to $210 per examination) and reimbursement of one certification and licensure examination fee (up to $300) in addition to their standard benefits.

» Applications will be accepted by mail or by fax:
NYS and CSEA Partnership for Education and Training
Corporate Plaza East - Suite 502
240 Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, NY 12203
fax: (518) 486-1989 or (518) 473-0056

» Educational advisement services are available to CSEA-represented NYS employees by phone at (518) 486-7814 or (800) 253-4332.

College resources, including equipment, supplies, services, and facilities, shall be used for official college business only. Use of college resources for commercial purposes or for personal gain is prohibited. Any loan of college property (other than library materials) to any party for personal use is prohibited. Direct any questions regarding this policy to Gary Phillips, associate vice president and comptroller, at ext. 4312.

From the Interim President

Motion to Change the Academic Level (Class Level) Policy
Introduced by the Standards for Students Committee on December 13, 2009 (co-sponsored by the Student Welfare Committee).

Whereas, the current undergraduate Academic Level (Class Level) Policy does not accurately reflect the progress required for timely graduation (i.e., 120 credits within eight semesters/four years) as a full-time matriculated student at Buffalo State College, and

Whereas, the current policy is inconsistent with the typical campus practice of advising students to take an average load of 15 credits per semester, and

Whereas, the current policy creates difficulty for various office functions (e.g., Institutional Research, Financial Aid) due to external procedural requirements,

Therefore, be it resolved that effective summer 2010, the college revise the Academic Level (Class Level) Policy as freshmen from 0 to 29 credit hours, sophomores from 30 to 59 credit hours, juniors from 60 to 89 credit hours, and seniors from 90 and above credit hours.

CURRENT POLICY
(2009–2011 Undergraduate Catalog, p. 27)
Academic Levels (Class Level) 
Students are given class designations according to the number of credit hours they have earned. Undergraduate levels are:

Freshmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 to 28 credit hours
Sophomores . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 to 56 credit hours
Juniors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 to 88 credit hours
Seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 or more credit hours

RECOMMENDED POLICY
Academic Levels (Class Level) 
Students are given class designations according to the number of credit hours they have earned. Undergraduate levels are:

Freshmen . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 to 29 credit hours
Sophomores . . . . . . . . . . .30 to 59 credit hours
Juniors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 to 89 credit hours
Seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 or more credit hours

I accept the recommendation of the College Senate and hereby authorize the changes to the Academic Level Policy as outlined above. I charge the interim provost with the responsibility of overseeing that these changes are implemented in all appropriate documentation and communicated widely throughout the institution.

The deadline to submit applications for the SUNY B-140W Tuition Assistance Program for the fall 2007 semester is Friday, September 28. Staff members may apply for tuition assistance after six months of service; faculty members may apply after one semester of service. The following employees are eligible:

• Full-time Buffalo State faculty and professional or classified employees.
• Part-time and/or temporary Buffalo State faculty and professional or classified employees who are employed at least half time (faculty must teach at least two courses in the semester).
• Full-time Research Foundation employees, provided they work on the Buffalo State campus.

Program funds may be used for courses at SUNY campuses only. Eligible employees may apply for a 50 percent waiver of SUNY tuition for up to two courses per semester, to a maximum of 15 credit hours per academic year. Tuition assistance is limited to regular in-state undergraduate or graduate tuition rates. The level of support may be adjusted when necessary if funding is not adequate to cover applications received.

Contact the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 410, ext. 4821, for applications, program guidelines, or information about other tuition assistance programs.

From the Interim President
At its March 12, 2010, meeting, the College Senate voted to forward the following recommendation to the interim president for consideration:

Motion to Request that Departments Electronically Archive Course Proposals
Introduced by College Senate Curriculum Committee on December 11, 2009.

Whereas, all course revision proposals must be accompanied by the current course proposal being revised, and

Whereas, the new Electronic Course Submission (ECS) platform allows for archive folders to be placed in each department, and

Whereas, the College Senate Curriculum Committee has access to the archive folders for each department, and

Whereas, timely approval of course proposals requires that the College Senate Curriculum Committee work groups compare the current course to the proposed course revision, and

Whereas, efficient archiving and retrieval of course proposals at every level—department, school, Senate—has been problematic,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Senate recommend that the administration direct every department to archive proposals of all current courses electronically using the archive folder for the respective departments.

I thank the College Senate for the recommendation to archive all course proposals and hereby direct that any new course proposals moving forward from this date be archived electronically. I charge the provost and the chief information officer with the responsibility of investigating available institutional resources and proposing a plan for archiving existing course proposals that is consistent with those resources by September 2010.

Open enrollment for the 2008 NYS Flex Spending Account is Monday, September 24, through Friday, November 1. The account offers two benefits, the Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount) and the Dependent Care Advantage Account (DCAAccount). A brochure describing these benefits was distributed with the September 19 paychecks.

The HCSAccount allows employees to set aside from $100 to $4,000 annually in pretax salary to pay for health-related expenses not reimbursed by insurance. Over-the-counter (OTC) drug expenses including allergy remedies, antacids, cold medicines, and pain relievers are also reimbursable.

The DCAAccount allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 annually for child care, elder care, or other dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis. The DCAAccount employer contribution expired for most bargaining units earlier this year with the expiration of their collective bargaining agreements. The future availability of the employer contribution depends on the outcome of the current negotiations. Employees represented by NYSCOPA are eligible for the employer contribution up to $700 as a result of their recently ratified contract.

Participants currently enrolled in the HCSAccount or DCAAccount must re-enroll to continue benefits in 2008. Re-enrollment instructions will be sent directly from the Fringe Benefits Management Company.

Paperless enrollment is quick, easy, and secure. Apply online at www.flexspend.state.ny.us or call the Flex Spending Account hotline at (800) 358-7202.

The November 16 deadline for 2008 enrollment will be strictly enforced. Be sure to enroll by November 16.

Call the Human Resource Management Office at ext. 4821 with questions.

The New York State fire code requires fire drills to be conducted three times per year. Contrary to past practice, the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control now requires that drills be unannounced, with no accommodation for special circumstances (special events, exams, speakers).

Please be prepared to comply with required evacuation procedures.

Evacuation Procedure for Occupants

• When alarm sounds, proceed by the most direct means, in keeping with equitable distribution of traffic, to the nearest exit and stand at least 25 yards outside the building.
• Leave lights on.
• Close all doors.
• Turn off room fans; leave hood fans on.
• Turn off all electrical and gas appliances.
• Close doors to corridors; in the event of actual fire, leave doors in immediate areas unlocked.
• Reenter building when "all clear" is announced by college personnel conducting the drill.

For more information, visit our Web site, or call the Environmental Health and Safety Office, ext. 4038. Thank you for your cooperation.

From the Interim President
At its February 12, 2010, meeting, the College Senate voted to forward the following recommendation to the interim president for consideration:

Motion to Continue Advisement PIN Pilot Program 
Maker of the Motion: SUNY Senator David Carson
Seconds the Motion: Senator John DeNisco

Background
In spring 2004, the College Senate approved an extensive report on academic advisement. This report has been widely shared, and has been referenced in materials presented to the Senate in fall 2009, when a pilot program for use of a PIN (personal identification number) was introduced. The report affirmed a long-standing “mandatory advisement” requirement in Buffalo State College’s undergraduate catalogs. In addition, the development of an “Advisement Plan” for each academic department was stated as an expectation of the report.

Within the report, and at meetings held by Provost Dennis Ponton in fall 2008/spring 2009, the use of a PIN to prevent registration without advisement for target groups¹ was identified as a way to improve students’ experiences at Buffalo State, as well as retention. During spring 2009, academic departments were invited to participate in a voluntary pilot use of the PIN to take place during fall 2009. During registration in fall 2009 for spring 2010, departments from all four schools and University College participated.

The 2009–2010 College Senate was told, each time the PIN pilot was mentioned, that a “full report” regarding the results of the PIN pilot would be presented (Appendices to this resolution include excerpts from the minutes of the October, November, December meetings of the College Senate 2009 meetings and include all mentions of pilot for fall 2010. There was no clarification if the pilot was to take place in fall 2010 or during spring/summerfor fall 2010). Commitment was made to opportunities for extended discussion of the pilot in the Senate before further action was taken.

Resolution
Whereas the College Senate in 2004 affirmed multiple ways to improve department-level academic advisement for students at Buffalo State College, including use of technological means to prevent registration without advisement, and

Whereas the 2009–2011 Undergraduate Catalog underscores that student responsibilities are core to the advisement process, stating that “the task of the student is to seek advisement, to understand, and to be responsible for the decision”², and

Whereas “mandatory advisement” is a principle that can be achieved in many ways, including processes that are nontechnological, and

Whereas participation in the use of the PIN system has been described as “optional” in public meetings, and

Whereas the use of the technological approach to mandatory advisement (e.g., the use of the PIN with target groups) was introduced on a pilot basis to volunteer departments during fall 2009 registration, updated resolution for presentation to the College Senate in February 2010 for action in February 2010, and

Whereas the College Senate was promised a full report about the pilot in spring 2010 with “objective and subjective data,” such that this full report of the results of the use of the PIN would be provided in time to discuss this approach, and deliberate regarding expansion of the PIN use to the entire campus, and

Whereas such a report (even if presented in February 2010) would not allow time for discussion with constituents prior to registration in spring 2010 for summer/fall 2010, and

Whereas there was ambiguity regarding any expansion of the PIN pilot beyond volunteer groups during 2009–2010, and

Whereas the chair of the College Senate will (at the February 2010 meeting of the College Senate) charge the Standards for Students, Instruction and Research, and Student Welfare committees with the task of bringing forward recommendations for 2010–2011 regarding advisement in general, and the use of the PIN option for the target groups in specific, with at least preliminary reports before the end of the 2009–2010 academic year,

Therefore, be it resolved that the College Senate recommend that the PIN pilot be continued during spring 2010 (for summer/fall 2010) to include departments thatvolunteer to participate, and allow departments to opt out if they wish to do so.

I accept the recommendation of the College Senate and hereby approve the PIN Pilot Program to remain in place during the spring 2010 semester for voluntarily use by departments during academic advisement for summer/fall 2010.

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¹ (Note: footnote updated February 10, 2010.) The Banner Advisement/Alternate PIN implementation has been programmed to include students identified in the Senate’s 2004 advisement report: students whose total hours, including the upcoming registration, will reach/exceed 90 credit hours, students on probation, undeclared students, and students new to the major. It does not include “students in their first semester at Buffalo State (including transfer students)” as was indicated in the earlier version of the resolution.

² Buffalo State Undergraduate Catalog, 2009–2011, p. 23.

Please join the SEFA Campaign Committee for the 2007 SEFA/United Way Campaign Kickoff at 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, September 25, in E. H. Butler Library 210, when President Howard will launch the official State Employees Federated Appeal/United Way Campaign with help from special guests from the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County. Mark your calendars and enjoy some refreshments while learning about the needs in our community and ways your SEFA contribution can help. Solicitors will gather before the kickoff, at 11:15 a.m. in E. H. Butler Library 208, to receive their packets and words of advice on how to conduct a successful campaign.

By Phyllis Camesano

The Hospitality and Tourism Department will host its 16th annual Ambassador Awards on Tuesday, April 20, at 5:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210.

This year’s honorees are Pano Georgiadis, owner of Pano’s Restaurant; Tom Towers, owner and operator of Tom Tower’s Farm; and Cheryl Zhangi, director of services and special programs for the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Lisa Tucker, founder of the Field and Fork Network and editor and publisher of Edible Buffalo, will deliver the keynote address.

Honoring individuals and companies who have made significant contributions to the hospitality industry and the community has become a high point for Buffalo State’s growing undergraduate hospitality and tourism program. Buffalo State students are also recognized for their outstanding achievements in the field at this event.

Following the awards ceremony, a reception and wine dinner will be held at Campus House, the center for hospitality students’ education, training, and research.

Contact Krista Constantino, Campus House guest services manager, 878-3300, for tickets or for more information.