Buffalo State’s programs in the visual arts have received accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Accredited institutional membership in NASAD is a stamp of approval—a sign that an institution has met external criteria for the programs it offers. Accreditation is possible only through peer review.

“I thank the members of the departments who worked so hard to achieve this recognition, and especially John F. Siskar, associate professor of art education, who served as visual arts liaison to the dean,” said Dennis McCarthy, associate dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. McCarthy served as interim dean during the accreditation process. “NASAD accreditation certifies that Buffalo State meets national standards for helping students achieve success in the visual arts by realizing their talents, developing their skills, and reaching their dreams. We are very proud of this achievement, which reinforces generations of excellence in the visual arts at Buffalo State.”

Buffalo State's visual arts departments, housed in the School of Arts and Humanities, consist of the Art Conservation, Art Education, Design, Fine Arts, and Interior Design departments. More than 75 faculty members in these five departments contribute to Buffalo State's undergraduate and graduate visual arts programs.

Buffalo State is the 25th institution in New York State to receive this accreditation. Other schools and universities offering NASAD-accredited programs in New York State include Pratt Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Skidmore College, and Sotheby's Institute of Art.

Founded in 1944, NASAD has nearly 250 accredited institutional members today.

Buffalo State is delighted to welcome its two new deans, associate dean, and director of the Great Lakes Center.

Benjamin C. Christy, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities

Benjamin Christy was appointed dean of the School of Arts and Humanities on June 1 following a national search. Christy comes to Buffalo State from Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne, where he served as dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts for the past 11 years. A native of Dallas, Texas, he received his B.M.E. from Texas Christian University, and his M.M. in wind instruments and A.Mus.D. in clarinet performance from the University of Michigan, where he was the teaching fellow in clarinet and clarinetist in the Contemporary Directions Ensemble.

Christy has been featured as a clarinet soloist in Vienna and in the Soviet Union with the Leningrad State Chamber Orchestra and the Klassica Symphony Orchestra of Leningrad. He has also performed in Carnegie Hall and Town Hall in New York City, the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia's Academy of Music, as well as on television and radio and in many college and community concert series.

In his role at Buffalo State, Christy will lead the School of Arts and Humanities, which comprises the departments of Art Education, Communication, Design, English, Fine Arts, Interior Design, Modern and Classical Languages, Music, Philosophy and Humanities, and Theater, as well as the college's prestigious graduate program in art conservation and the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall.

Christy says he plans to work closely with the faculty as he takes over leadership at the School of Arts and Humanities. “I’m very interested in collaboration,” he said. “I want to enhance our interdisciplinary programming and advance regional collaborations, including expanding our partnerships with the Burchfield-Penney Art Center and other Buffalo cultural organizations.”

Kevin Railey, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Former English Department chair Kevin Railey was named associate provost and dean of the Graduate School in May.

Railey received his Ph.D. in English from Stony Brook University and taught at Skidmore College before coming to Buffalo State in 1991 as a member of the English Department. He has taught a wide range of American literature courses, worked with preservice teachers, and published extensively on the topics of William Faulkner and education. In addition to serving as chair of the English Department for eight years, Railey was interim associate vice president for enrollment management in 2005–2006. He received the President’s Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Equity and Campus Diversity in 2003, and the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2005.

Railey plans to work with people across campus to identify and meet goals for the Graduate School. “To get anything done,” he said, “it is necessary to collaborate and to identify areas where the Graduate School and the other schools have shared needs and objectives.”

While noting that education programs account for the majority of graduate students, Railey is also aware that many of Buffalo State’s students leave the area for plentiful jobs across the country.

“School districts from all over come here to recruit our students,” he said, ticking off high-growth areas—Las Vegas, North Carolina, Virginia—“and then those students earn their graduate teaching degrees where they work.” He is therefore interested in expanding the offerings and the recruitment efforts of the Graduate School in programs unrelated to education as well as strengthening the attractiveness of graduate education degrees to local teachers.

Lori V. Quigley, Associate Dean of the School of Education

Lori Quigley, associate professor of elementary education and reading, has been named associate dean of the School of Education. A literacy specialist with more than 15 years of elementary and secondary classroom experience, Quigley teaches graduate-level courses in the college’s two literacy specialist programs and in the childhood and early childhood curriculum and instruction master’s program. She holds a Ph.D. in language, learning, and literacy from Fordham University. A member of the Wolf Clan of the Seneca Nation of Indians, Quigley also works with the recruitment and retention of Native American students, serving as the Buffalo State liaison to the SUNY Native American Consortium.

Quigley received a presidential appointment to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education in 2004; she currently serves the council as chair. She also chairs the Seneca Nation Library Board of Trustees. The Native American Indian Education Association of New York has twice recognized Quigley for her contributions to Indian education. She received both the SUNY Research Foundation’s Research and Scholarship Award and the Buffalo State College President’s Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Equity and Campus Diversity in 2006.

Quigley said she hopes her knowledge of the accreditation process helps to facilitate the School of Education’s planning as it prepares for the spring 2008 visit by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Board of Examiners. “I firmly believe that Buffalo State will continue to be recognized for its high quality professional education programs,” she said.

Quigley also wants to help School of Education faculty embed information into their course syllabi that reflects culturally appropriate and culturally responsible pedagogy in an effort to broaden their ability to respond to the ever-expanding diversity that exists in classrooms today. “I think Buffalo State’s School of Education curriculum offerings can become a showcase for infusing diversity throughout the curriculum,” she said.

Alexander Yurievich Karatayev, Director of the Great Lakes Center

Alexander Yurievich Karatayev has been named director of the Great Lakes Center at Buffalo State. Karatayev comes to Buffalo State from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) in Texas, where he had served since 2001, most recently as a professor of biology. He received the SFASU Faculty Achievement Award in Research in 2005.

His research interests include biodiversity, conservation, and management of freshwater ecosystems; taxonomy, biology, ecology, and productivity of the benthic community; and the ecology, biology, parasitology, and spread of aquatic invasive species and their role in ecosystems. An impressive record of publishing and presenting his work includes 71 peer-reviewed publications and 81 presentations at scientific meetings. He belongs to several professional societies including the International Research Consortium on Molluscan Symbionts and the International Group on Aquatic Alien Species.

Karatayev has been involved in many research collaborations with scientists throughout the world, including studies exploring the spread of zebra mussels and their role in aquatic ecosystems. He is looking forward to working at Buffalo State because of the college’s proximity to lakes Erie and Ontario, as well as its renowned Great Lakes Center with its waterfront research facilities.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue my long-term research on invasive species such as zebra mussels,” Karatayev said. “And I hope that the Great Lakes Center will become a valuable resource for the Western New York region. The Great Lakes are excellent areas to address many questions of invasive biology including impacts of invasive species on lake ecosystems, contrast lakes with low and high numbers of invasive species, population dynamics and co-effect of invasive species, and many others.”

Karatayev holds two doctoral degrees—a doctor of science and a doctor of philosophy, both in hydrobiology—from the Belarusian Academy of Science, Republic of Belarus.

President Muriel A. Howard, Ph.D.

Welcome, everyone, to the new academic year of 2007–2008. I especially want to welcome 26 new full-time faculty and 12 full-time professional staff members to our campus community. I trust that each of you has had a relaxing and yet productive summer. Buffalo has experienced a “real” summer this year, and I understand that a beautiful fall is expected.

An exciting and ambitious year lies ahead of us. We will welcome approximately 1,500 new freshmen and nearly 1,100 transfer students to campus this year. Over 1,800 students will reside on campus, and nearly 250 students will begin the semester residing in the Holiday Inn and the Adam’s Mark hotels. The Cassety Hall renovation is being completed, and we expect the students housed in the hotels to return to campus prior to the end of the semester. Graduate students are continuing to enroll and are in the midst of completing the registration process. I expect that all our students, new and returning, are looking forward to the beginning of the semester and eagerly await the advice and guidance of faculty and staff.

Our academic theme for 2006–2008 is “Great Minds That Shaped Our Intellectual World.” We will reaffirm this theme and inaugurate the academic year at our annual Academic Convocation on Thursday, September 20, at 12:15 p.m. in Rockwell Hall. We ask every faculty and staff member to join us at this special ceremony.

As with each year, our focus will primarily be on the academic progress of our students. However, we will undertake the development of the college’s next five-year strategic plan and prepare for two major accreditation visits that will occur during the spring term. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) visit will take place on April 12, and we are on target thus far with 12 of the 18 standards having been conditionally approved. The Middle States Periodic Review will soon be scheduled and will focus on our institutional progress over the past five years. Both of these accreditation efforts are planned to strengthen our academic excellence.

Finally, we have been working with the New York State Commission on Higher Education, appointed by Governor Spitzer, to assess the state of higher education and alignment with the needs of the state. We have had positive initial discussions with members of the commission and will keep you informed about the progress of the commission’s work.

Again, I welcome you and wish you a rewarding and successful academic year as we all work together to fulfill the mission of Buffalo State College.

I am pleased to introduce you to the new and improvedBulletin, the communication vehicle that will continue to be the official Buffalo State source for policy, personnel, and curricular matters. Beginning with the 2007–2008 academic year, the Bulletin is being further expanded to become the new online vehicle for weekly communication with our faculty and staff.

In addition, the Bulletin will feature stories that showcase the teaching, research, and service accomplishments of Buffalo State College faculty and staff. The achievements of our students will be highlighted from time to time. Our provost will offer a column twice a month that focuses on academic issues and concerns.

As time goes on, the Bulletin will ensure that you’ll hear up-to-date information about the major initiatives on which we will focus this year. The name may be the same, but the exciting new format, style, and content will soon be revealed to you with a click of the mouse.

Once esoteric, now omnipresent, technology is the key to success for every member of the Buffalo State community. But in order to keep up with its blistering pace of evolution, steady funding is required. That’s where the technology fee comes in.

Initiated in 1995, the technology fee is a set amount of money collected from each student—undergraduate and graduate, full and part time. It pays for items such as computers, scanners, CD burners, software and licenses, library databases, and even the new Banner system. While the annual amount—$3 million—remains unchanged from last year, management of the fee and the process by which faculty and staff can access it have changed.

First, the newly created Information Services and Systems (ISAS) Board replaces the Technology Council, which reviews and recommends the allocation of funds. ISAS comprises Computing and Technology Services (CTS) and Library and Instructional Technology. The new structure emphasizes service over technology and strives for greater partnerships with all campus departments. Voldemar Innus, vice president and chief information officer, heads the ISAS Board—which consists of the deans or associate deans; members of Student Affairs, Finance and Management, University College, and the Graduate School; the College Senate chair; and student leaders. In addition, the chairs of two newly created support boards—Academic ISAS (Maryruth Glogowski) and Administrative ISAS (Don Erwin)—and Judi Basinski, associate vice president for computing and technology services, sit ex officio on the ISAS Board.

Second, the process for accessing the funds will be more hassle-free than in previous years. In the past, funding requests needed the approval of both the Technology Council and one of the two supporting committees: the Academic Technology Advisory Committee or the Administrative Information Technology Advisory Committee. Now, ISAS automatically allots $600,000 of the fee—called “technology advancement funds”—across each of the schools.

“The schools are best equipped to make decisions for their needs,” said Innus. The annual funding cycle will continue for bulk purchases like computers for a classroom.

“With the policies we now have in place, the ISAS Board doesn’t have to focus so much on approval after approval like the Technology Council did,” said Glogowski, associate vice president for library and instructional technology. “What this means for faculty and staff is that requests will be processed faster. Schools can prioritize their needs and bank on the money being there, instead of worrying about whether they will receive funding.”

Faculty members should find the new technology fee changes helpful. “The local handling of funds really simplifies things and will allow us to procure equipment much faster,” said Dennis McCarthy, associate dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. “Before, it was sometimes hard to justify certain expenses to people outside of particular disciplines. Deans and associate deans now help with the approval process, and can make determinations between what is needed versus frivolous requests.”

The bulk of the $3 million technology fee helps the college’s central needs and focuses on advancing goals of the 2003–2008 Strategic Plan. For example, the fee will provide 10 new smart classrooms this fall.

Once the ISAS Web site is updated, technology fee expenditures will continue to be itemized as in years past. “We’re committed to maintaining transparency,” said Glogowski. “We are obligated to spend the technology fee on enhancing technology that serves students. Without the fee, our campus would struggle with infrastructure.”

According to Innus, the technology fee is just one part of overall technology funding, but it is a “very big piece of the puzzle.”

“The technology fee is critically important for supporting academic programs,” he said. “It’s about getting things done for our community.”

The College Senate—the formal partnership between the administration and the constituencies of faculty, professional staff, support staff, and students at Buffalo State College—has new leadership for the 2007–2008 academic year.

Sharon Cramer, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of exceptional education, is the chair; Betty Cappella, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor of educational foundations, is vice chair.

“I am following in the footsteps of talented campus leaders,” said Cramer. “I feel excited about how I will make the role of chair my own.”

The Senate reviews college policy and procedure and makes recommendations on such matters to President Muriel A. Howard. In so doing, it serves as the official voice of the members of the college community.

The Senate consists of elected senators and has eightstanding committees. Senators serving on the College Senate may be students, faculty, administrators, or professional or support staff. Administrators are appointed. All others are elected by representative groups.

Buffalo State’s College Senate meetings are open to the public and are typically held on the second or third Friday every month during each semester. All members of the campus community are invited to attend.

Last year’s Senate tackled a variety of critical issues, including revising the academic misconduct policy, examining BSC 101, creating and promulgating the official statement on the use of textual similarity (plagiarism) detection software, and creating new awards, such as the President’s Award for Excellence as an Undergraduate Research Mentor.

The Senate is currently developing its goals for the academic year. The group will participate in the 2008–2013 strategic planning process, specifically looking at the role of governance, and in the campus mid-cycle report for Middle States Accreditation. It also will make a recommendation related to last year’s examination of the current requirement for 45 credits of 300- and 400-level courses for students.

“The Senate’s participation in the strategic planning process should give us an opportunity to examine both the current and future role of governance on our campus,” said Cramer. “I look forward to facilitating the Senate’s participation in that process, and anticipate we’ll draw on the members of the current Senate as well as those who served on the Senate in the past.”

This year’s Senate also has a new chair for the Curriculum Committee: Nancy Chicola, associate professor of elementary education and reading. This standing committee receives course and program revisions, and works with departments to apply a consistent set of standards via the Senate Curriculum review. It also reviews new programs. All action by the Curriculum Committee is presented in the form of recommendations to the president, who makes all final decisions regarding curricular changes. Currently, the Curriculum Handbook is undergoing its first major revision since 2002. This document should provide guidance for curriculum/program development and review.

To allow greater participation from the campus and general public, the College Senate incorporates constituent questions into its regular agenda. These are routed through senators and addressed during monthly meetings. All members of the Buffalo State community are encouraged to submit questions or concerns through the senators. Constituent questions are the last item on the agenda of each Senate meeting.

Without hesitation, Cramer can testify to the vital role that the College Senate plays in shaping Buffalo State’s future. “Things around here are not decided without great deliberation and democracy,” she said.

Her advice to faculty and staff about the College Senate? Don’t miss out.

“The life of every member of our campus is influenced in some way by the College Senate each year,” said Cramer. “Take advantage of the opportunity for dialogue and decision-making that the Senate affords.”

Buffalo State’s Link to SUNY Governance
In addition to her role as chair of Buffalo State’s College Senate, Cramer also is the newly appointed chair of the Governance Committee for the systemwide University Faculty Senate, which serves as a resource on governance and as a deliberative body on educational policies for the SUNY system. She served as a member of the committee for the past two years.

One of the largest faculty governance organizations in the country, UFS consists of the chancellor of SUNY, two SUNY representatives, and representatives from each of 33 state-operated campuses. Buffalo State’s elected representatives to UFS are John DeNisco, associate professor and chair of the Business Department, and David Carson, professor and chair of the History and Social Studies Education Department.

Three other Buffalo State faculty members are involved with UFS, each with appointments to standing committees. Meg Knowles, assistant professor of communication, and Howard Reid, professor of psychology, sit on the Undergraduate Committee. Valentin Brimkov, associate professor of mathematics, sits on the Awards Committee.

Cramer is pleased to represent Buffalo State both on campus and systemwide. “It’s an exciting opportunity to serve a dual role,” she said. “I’m able to work with so many talented individuals here to shape Buffalo State’s future, and also share our vision with the rest of the state.”

Faculty and staff are experiencing an easier way to manage student information, thanks to the new Banner system. The online interface replaces the SABRE system and helps users keep track of student records, student accounts, financial aid, and admissions functions.

The project is on schedule, and, according to Don Erwin, associate vice president for information services and systems, initial implementation has been relatively smooth.

“Continuing, incoming, and transfer students used Banner to register for fall classes,” said Erwin, who is overseeing Banner’s rollout. “They found the interface very simple and intuitive to navigate.”

Faculty and staff also are giving the system high marks.

“I have been pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to use the Self-Service Banner system,” said Karen O’Quin, associate dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences. “Faculty members have more power in Banner to grant overrides of course restrictions than they have had in the past. And once Banner includes students’ academic history, we will begin to see its real potential.”

Developed by SunGard Higher Education, Banner is the world’s most widely used collegiate administrative suite of student, financial aid, finance, human resources, and advancement systems. The Oracle-based system is used at campuses across the country, including more than 45 SUNY schools. In fact, earlier this month, a group from the University at Buffalo met with Buffalo State’s Banner implementation team to learn about best practices. UB faculty and staff are currently evaluating various student information systems in preparation of a potential change to their current program.

To help ensure that Banner answers Buffalo State’s academic needs, a group called the Banner Academic Stakeholders convenes regularly to share feedback and address any potential changes they should make to the system. Erwin meets monthly during the academic year with about a dozen representatives from various departments.

One of the system’s immediate benefits is that students can view financial aid award packages quickly. “Banner allowed our office to send award letters to new freshmen in late February,” said Kent McGowan, director of financial aid. “Usually, we got these out in mid- to late March. Oftentimes the best and brightest students get things done early, so I think it’s fair to say that Banner was one factor for the positive impact on enrollment this year.”

Erwin said that faculty and staff accustomed to SABRE for class registration would notice two changes with Banner. First, there is no function for instructors to receive communication from students who need permission to enroll in specialized classes. That option, however, may eventually be part of the Banner system. Second, there are no wait lists in Banner. Instead, the system makes regularly scheduled reports available to department chairs to allow them to see which classes are filling up and which sections are closed. This helps departments to better meet student demand and plan instructor workload accordingly.

Banner also will enable users to manage billing, fees, and student accounts. Eventually, students will even be able to pay their bills online. As early as October, Banner also will manage the graduate and undergraduate admissions process for fall 2008. Use of the current degree audit system, Degree Navigator, will continue for advisement until it has been determined that Banner’s own degree audit system can be implemented. Banner should be fully compatible with ANGEL. In addition, faculty will begin tosubmit grades in Banner at the end of fall term.

Students’ academic history will be migrated from the legacy system, STARS, to Banner as early in the fall semester as possible. According to Erwin, this will be especially helpful for advisers. “Banner will have many other noticeable benefits, too,” he said. “With grading, for example, there will be a built-in field showing ‘last attendance date,’ which should be a bit more intuitive than it was in SABRE.”

As new features become part of the system, Erwin urges faculty and staff to participate in Banner training classesand asks the campus community for its patience with the changes. “Implementing all the features this system has to offer is a high priority for the administration,” said Erwin. “For example, prerequisite checking for class registration has not yet been enabled, and there is still much to set up and test before we understand its impact on the system’s performance and enrollment.”

Faculty and staff are encouraged to visit the Banner Project Web site for updates throughout the fall semester. Frequently asked questions and information for faculty and staff also may be found online. For general Banner support, call ext. 3434 or send e-mail tobannerhelp@buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State welcomes one of the largest incoming freshman classes in history.

As summer comes to a close, a new group of students joins the Buffalo State College community. While the start of the fall semester may seem a bit routine for some faculty and staff members, this year’s incoming class is unique in many ways. And though the differences may not be immediately noticeable, says Mark Petrie, associate vice president for enrollment management, the overall student profile should yield positive long-term effects.

“Our applications this year were a little stronger academically,” said Petrie. “With the boom in applications this year, we were able to be more selective in the student selection process. I think that having higher-caliber students can create an even greater atmosphere of learning and positive thoughts here on campus.”

Lesa Loritts, director of admissions, also agrees. “This year’s incoming student seems more engaged, curious, interesting, and willing to take initiative,” she said.

The big news for Buffalo State came in July, when, for the first time in at least 15 years, admissions closed early for freshmen due to overwhelming demand. Nearly 10,000 students applied, and more than 1,500 first-year students—projected to be one of the largest freshman classes ever—are now on campus.

Altogether, this year’s incoming class (freshman, transfer, graduate) should total more than 2,800 students—possibly the largest in Buffalo State’s history. As of July, transfer slots were also more than two-thirds full—well ahead of the typical pace. Total enrollment for fall 2007 should be about 11,350, according to Petrie. Final enrollment numbers will be available after the freeze-file date in mid-October.

“We’re no longer the ‘safety net’ school,” said Petrie. “For many, Buffalo State is a first-choice college. We have wonderful programs here, and the early admissions close is a tribute to that success. I credit the faculty and staff. They’re providing the right programs and the right curricula within those programs. The word is out—Buffalo State is an exciting place to be, with cutting-edge programs and high value for the cost.”

Last year’s trend of the New York City metropolitan area draw to Buffalo State continued for 2007. Nearly one in every four incoming freshmen hails from the southeast corner of the state.

As in past years, Residence Life will provide temporary housing accommodations for the overflow of students. At the beginning of the semester, the office expects 227 students to be assigned to the nearby Holiday Inn and Adam’s Mark hotels. The expected opening of Cassety Hall by the end of the semester will help alleviate the situation, providing space for 150 students.

Incoming students also are taking advantage of Buffalo State’s specialized programs, with 45 students (39 freshmen) joining the All College Honors Program, more than 250 freshmen and transfers joining the Educational Opportunity Program, 80 registering for three learning communities, and 140 signing up to take advantage of 38service-learning classes.

“This year’s incoming class is as good as or better academically than last year’s,” said Petrie. “We have 800 new students living on campus. And our number of returning students is greater.”

Indeed, all signs point to positive changes for Buffalo State this fall.

The Theater Department has announced its performance series for the coming year. Beginning with Paula Vogel’s beloved play,Baltimore Waltz, and concluding with a dance showcase choreographed by faculty and students,Casting Hall Productions has scheduled an exciting, varied, and adventurous list of entertainment for the year. 

• October 4–6, 11–13 - Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel. Directed by Donn Youngstrom. Performances in the Flexible Theatre (Donald Savage Theater and Communication Building).

• November 8–10, 15–17 - Antigone by Sophocles, translated by Nicholas Rudall, directed by Drew Kahn. Performances inWarren Enters Theatre.

• March 13–15, 20–22 - Hair by James Rado and Gerome Ragni. Music by Calt MacDermot. Directed by André DeShields. Performances in Warren Enters Theatre.

• April 24–27 - Spring Dance Concert, faculty and student choreographers. Performances in Warren Enters Theatre.

Evening performances will take place Thursdays–Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. Matinee performances will be held Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 general, $8 for faculty and staff, and $6 for students.

Tickets will be available starting September 10 through the Rockwell Hall Box Office or by phone at (716) 878-3005. Box Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. For more information, call Casting Hall Productions at (716) 878-6432.

The Student Life Office celebrated the opening of the new United Students Government Game Room and adjacent Conference Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the lower level of the Campbell Student Union on August 28. The renovation addresses the needs for a student organization meeting place and greater opportunities for interaction during social activities. Previously, the entire space was a game room, which had more than ample room for furniture and events.

In addition, many student organizations are enjoying the Union as a more centralized place for student activity. To allow for the renovation of Cassety Hall into a dormitory, organizations began moving to the fourth floor of the Union at the end of the spring semester. The remodeled rooms include fresh paint, new carpeting, and new furniture.