Andrew D. Nicholls, professor, History and Social Studies Education Department, will be the guest speaker of the Buffalo-Lille Association Inc., Tuesday, February 22, 7:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210 at Buffalo State. Nicholls will present his just published book, A Fleeting Empire, focusing on the rivalry between France and Great Britain for the control of North America in the early part of the seventeenth century.

Everyone is welcome to attend this free event.

Please join us for a book signing featuring faculty author Staci Newmahr, assistant professor, Sociology Department, today, Thursday, February 17, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore. Newmahr's new book, Playing on the Edge, delves into the social space of the public, pansexual SM community to understand sadomasochism from the inside out. Refreshments will be served. Please join us!

Next Thursday, February 24, at 12:15 p.m. in Bacon Hall 117, students can find out how to earn eight undergraduate credits studying Chinese language and culture in Beijing this summer. Two semesters of prior Chinese language study is required. Students will also learn about the excursions included in the program, how financial aid applies, and about scholarships that are available. Please encourage them not to miss out on this exciting opportunity to develop skills in an important world language and to experience the beauties of China!

The All College Honors Program, established in 1984, enrolls roughly 200 of Buffalo State’s most academically gifted students. Honors students engage in special seminars, develop career and leadership skills, receive individual attention from dedicated faculty members, and earn scholarships, awards, and other benefits, such as priority registration and preferred housing.

The All College Honors Program is privately funded through the generous donations of people like you. And the investment is worthwhile. Most honors students compete for prominent internships, apply for Fulbright, Rhodes, and other prestigious scholarships, and attend graduate school or secure good jobs. The program retention rate averages between 92 and 94 percent, and 98 percent of the students graduate in four years.

See portraits of some of the honors program’s current students in the Instructional Resources Proofing Gallery. And please consider supporting the All College Honors Program.

If you have any interest in weather, please check out the updated Buffalo State College weather page. This page is used by our meteorology and climatology students, but you may find some links, including up-to-date weather conditions on campus, WNY weather resources, a campus weatherline, the groundhog forecast network, and examples of student research, useful. It is the best site to learn of weather-related lectures and activities on campus, and much more. Did you miss the fall equinox pumpkin drop or the luncheon with Aaron Mentkowski? Please consider marking this site as one of your favorites.

There is still time to complete applications for National Student Exchange, but time is running out! Please let your students know of this great opportunity to attend one of the 200 campuses within the United States or Canada! Have them visit South Wing 420 for an application. Thank you.

Celebrating World Creativity and Innovation Week and Earth Day, the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s 2011 Spring Break Camp will spark children’s ideas and set them in motion. During the week, April 18-22, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, creative thinking skills will be developed through various art projects and related activities. Campers (ages 6-12) will be facilitated through rounds of creative thinking, developing innovative outcomes that ultimately can improve the world around them–even if it’s in a small way.

Early-bird registration discount by March 5. Early-bird rate per camper is $180 for Burchfield Penney members, $205 for "not yet" members.

For info, visit http://www.burchfieldpenney.org/?select=programs&data=camp or e-mail Katie Kelly at ext. 3216.

A recent article in the New York Times highlighted a report that mental health issues involving college students appear to be on the rise. As faculty and staff, we can help our students think about how they are managing their own mental health—from the seemingly small things like stress management to the bigger issues, such as alcohol abuse and suicidal thoughts.

Several departments and organizations are coming together to offer a week of programming devoted to positive ways to take care of our mental health while balancing all that college has to offer. Please contact Suzanne Johnson LCSW-R at the Counseling Center if you have any questions or wish to be involved.

Stay tuned for the upcoming schedule. Please let students know and consider offering course credit to attend these fun and educational programs to help manage stress and increase awareness of the mind-body-spirit connections for good mental health.

The Rooftop Poetry Club invites you to attend "Sea: Sounds of the Pacific Ocean at Big Sur" with Don Metz, Michael Basinski, and Michael Colquhoun, February 23, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210.

Inspired by a long poem of the same name by Jack Kerouac, "Sea: Sounds of the Pacific Ocean at Big Sur" was written after the big success of On The Road, a time of great stress and anxiety due to his notoriety and alcoholism. Seeking peace, solitude, and a place for meditation and contemplation, Kerouac retreated to Lawrence Ferlinghetti's cabin in Bixby Canyon on the Pacific coast. At night he would sit on the shore and listen to the ocean compose. He recorded the sea sounds he heard in "Sea."

Music composed by Don Metz, poem read by Michael Basinski with musical accompaniment by Michael Colquhoun on flute, and Don Metz on guitar.

Buffalo State College Foundation quarterly reports for the period October 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010, have been processed and are currently being sent to project directors at their campus address. Please review these reports at your convenience. If you happen to have any trouble reading the reports, or need further clarification, I will be available to meet on Wednesday, March 2, between the hours of 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 418. No appointment will be necessary. Individual appointments can also be made to better accommodate your schedule.