The Budget Office is offering workshops during October (6, 14, and 22) and November (3, 18, and 19). Separate workshops are scheduled for instruction regarding the new Position Release Form, SMRT Application, and Budget Development Process Training. Workshops for the “new” Position Release Form are appropriate for department secretaries, chairpersons or directors, and designated assistants. The SMRT Application workshops are appropriate for chairpersons or directors, and designated assistants, and the Budget Development Process workshops are geared towards primary account managers who participate in setting annual departmental budgets. Advance registration is required. Additional information and registration specifics can be found at http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration/.

New and used Yamaha pianos will be sold to faculty, staff, students, and the public at a substantially discounted rate in the lobby of Rockwell Hall. The sale is part of  a collaboration between the Music Department and Artist Pianos and takes place on Thursday, October 9, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.; Friday, October 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and Saturday, October 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call Dr. Bryan Boyce at ext. 4100 or Grace at Artist Pianos at (716) 633-7004.

The residence hall late-night academic support seminars return tonight. This week's topic is Motivation and Setting Goals and will be held today, September 30, at 10:00 p.m. in Porter Hall. Lack of motivation can lead to debilitating procrastination and coursework struggles. This seminar will encourage students to be proactive, to set and accomplishing goals, and to stay motivated.

Campus Life and University College are co-sponsoring a new film series as part of the academic theme Inconvenient Truths. The films are geared toward all BSC101 courses, although they are free and open to the public. Brief faculty lead discussions will follow each showing.

Please come to the closing reception of Various Positions, a wonderful exhibition of sculptures curated by Professor Kenneth Payne, Sculpture Area Coordinator, Fine Arts Department.

Register today! Conference attendance fees increase on Wednesday, October 1, for the 2008 Thought to Action: Engaging College, Community, and Students through Service-Learning Partnerships conference held October 24–25. This conference is co-sponsored by Buffalo State, the New York Campus Compact, and the Western New York Service-Learning Coalition and will take place on the Buffalo State campus.

Recycling Drop-Off Day is Saturday, September 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Erie Community College (South Campus/Orchard Park). The items listed below will be disposed of properly for free:

The Economics and Finance Department will present a panel discussion on the current financial crisis on Tuesday, September 30, during Bengal Pause in Bulger Communication Center East. Panel participants include Joelle Leclaire, Ted Byrley, Kevin Qian, and Bruce Fisher. Moderated by Ted Schmidt, chair, Economics and Finance Department.

As a Buffalo State faculty or staff member you can receive special discounted prices on software and computer bundles through our SUNY partner UBMicro IT Support Services. Using your credit card, you can shop securely 24/7 on their newly launched Web site.

Join Dr. Douglas Robertson, assistant provost and professor of educational leadership, Northern Kentucky University for "Avoiding Chronic Overload: Making Time, Making Change," Friday, October 10, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo, NY.