Send us your love poems for our "Love Is a Four-Letter Word" contest! The only rule—you cannot use the words “love” or “heart” in your poem. Enter your poems through our blog. Winners will be announced at the open mic on Wednesday, February 13, at 4: 30 p.m. in E.H. Butler Library 210.

Thanks to all members of the Buffalo State campus community who supported our Bengal Bazaar yesterday! It was nice to reconnect with so many smiling faces from all across the campus. We are pleased to announce that the following individuals won special bengal prizes through our free raffle: Mary Codick, Don Erwin, Amy Kline, Carolynn Krupp, and Janet Pulka. Please come to our office in Cleveland Hall 305 to claim your prize. Thanks again for your continued support of the Buffalo State Alumni Association!

Recreation and Intramurals extends an open invitation to all faculty and staff to participate in our lunchtime basketball games. The games are played on Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1:00 p.m. Please contact Christian Ozolins at ext. 3679 for further information.

The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) will host the third annual Buffalo State College Volunteer Fair in the Campbell Student Union lobby on Wednesday, February 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from area not-for-profit agencies to discuss available volunteer opportunities. Please encourage students to attend this event; all majors are welcome. Additional information is available on our Web site. "Volunteer: It’s Good for the Heart."

Have you submitted your claims to the Health Care Spending Account or the Dependent Care Advantage Account? Participants have until Monday, March 31, to submit any eligible unreimbursed expenses from the 2007 plan year. Because of the tax advantages of the Flex Spending Account, the Internal Revenue Service has strict guidelines for its use. One of these guidelines is commonly known as the “use it or lose it” rule. Put simply, if you fail to send in a claim for reimbursement prior to the March 31 deadline, you will forfeit any remaining funds in your 2007 account. You may mail the reimbursement request form and your bill or receipt to Fringe Benefits Management Company, PO Box 1820, Tallahassee, FL 32302, or fax your request form and receipts to (800) 743-3271. You will receive a check within five to seven days by mail, or you can use the direct deposit option (see Web site for directions) to have the funds go directly into your savings or checking account within 48 hours. Claim forms are available in the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 410, online at www.flexspend.state.ny.us, or by calling the FSA Hotline at (800) 358-7202

The 45-piece Wellsville High School Pep Band—featuring members in orange wigs—highlight Friday night's Buffalo State men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Geneseo at the Sports Arena. The women tip off at 6:00 p.m. followed by the men's game at 8:00 p.m. Attendees will be entertained at both games by the award-winning Wellsville Pep Band. Fans will also have the chance to win a two hour party at the Pearl Street Grill, dinner for two at Chef's Restaurant, gift certificates to Pano's, Regal Cinema tickets, roundtrip tickets on Amtrak, and $1,000 during the Time Warner Cable Halftime Shootout. Tickets are free for faculty and staff showing their SUNY card at the arena's ticket window the night of the game. Tickets are also free for children 12 and under. For more information, contact Tom Koller at ext. 6514.

Household hazardous waste is unsafe to throw out in your trash. This includes products such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides that contain potentially hazardous ingredients that require special care when you dispose of them. The dangers of such disposal methods might not be immediately obvious, but improper disposal of these wastes can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health. Go to the EPA Web site to find out how to properly dispose of these items. For campus departments, we have red bins located in each main office for the recycling of electronic media including batteries.

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) will host its second annual Student Professional Development Conference, Beyond the Bachelor's Degree: Striving Toward Excellence on Saturday, February 9, 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center. The purpose of this program is to educate students about the various resources available to them so they are better prepared for graduate school, law school, medical school, and job opportunities. This free one-day symposium is open to all students, faculty, and staff. Please encourage interested students to participate. The conference includes a keynote session from alumna and Buffalo City Court Judge, the Honorable E. Jeannette Ogden, an array of workshops that include Graduate School Preparation and Funding; Law School / Medical School Preparation; Career Preparation; Study Abroad Programs; and Graduate School Fair. A continental breakfast, buffet luncheon, portfolio, and a certification of participation are included. Registration forms are available in EOP offices in South Wing 620. If you require additional information, please contact EOP advisers, Ms. Tracy Johnson or Jude Jayatilleke.

Join the Burchfield-Penney Art Center for a poetry reading featuring Jennifer Ryan and Karen Sands-O'Connor on Sunday, February 3, at 2:00 p.m.

The Buffalo State Web site is going to be refreshed later this year. As part of this process, we invite everyone to follow along at the College Relations Web team's new blog. We'll be discussing the refresh, plus other Web and Web-related technologies in general. Interested? Intrigued? Put out? The comments are open, so feel free to stop by and share your point of view.