The fifth issue of Nutrition Provision—the Dietetics and Nutrition Department’s newsletter—is now available online. If you have comments or questions about the newsletter, please contact Suk Oh, professor and chair of the Dietetics and Nutrition Department, ext. 5913.

During the Option Transfer Period, eligible young adult children of NYSHIP enrollees can enroll in the Young Adult Option, and current young adult enrollees can switch plans. This option allows young adult children under the age of 30 to purchase their own NYSHIP insurance. The coverage for these young adult dependents will be at the full share individual rate, and each dependent will enroll in his or her own individual policy. Coverage for young adult children applies only to medical benefits. Enrollment in the NYS dental and vision plan is not available through this benefit. For additional information on the Young Adult Option, visit www.cs.ny.gov/yao.

Please note: young adult children of NYSHIP enrollees are eligible to continue coverage as dependents under the enrollees' family coverage up to age 26.

Effective January 1, 2013, NYSHIP will offer the Opt-Out Program to CSEA, NYSCOPBA, PEF, PBANYS, and M/C employees. This program allows eligible employees who have other employer-sponsored group health insurance to opt out of their NYSHIP coverage in exchange for an incentive payment. The annual incentive payment is $1,000 for opting out of individual coverage or $3,000 for opting out of family coverage.

If you are currently enrolled in NYSHIP and wish to participate in the Opt-Out Program, you must elect to opt out during the annual Option Transfer Period and attest to having other employer-sponsored group health insurance. You must complete and return the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form and the 2013 Opt-Out Attestation Form to Cleveland Hall 410 by Monday, December 31. If you enroll in the program and you are eligible for dental and vision coverage, your eligibility for dental and vision coverage will not be affected.

If you currently participate in the Opt-Out Program and wish to participate in the program for 2013, you must complete a new Health Insurance Transaction Form, electing the Opt-Out Program for 2013, and the Opt-Out Attestation Form. If you do not make the election for 2013, your enrollment in the Opt-Out Program will end and the incentive payment credited to your paycheck will stop. You must elect the Opt-Out Program on an annual basis.

The complete Opt-out Program description, including eligibility requirements and enrollment forms, is available on the Human Resource Management website.

Please call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 with questions or for additional information.

Employees who wish to change their health insurance plans for the coming year have until Monday, December 31. We encourage you to complete and return the option transfer form to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible. The effective date of the new coverage will be January 3, 2013.

The 2013 health insurance rates can be viewed on the Human Resource Management website. "Choices," a summary of health insurance plans, is also available online or in Cleveland Hall 410. There are two versions: one for settled contracts, another for unsettled contracts. You may want to review the new rates and the "Choices" booklet before you decide to change insurance carriers or to remain with your current carrier for your health insurance coverage.

No action is required if you wish to keep your current health insurance option.

Please call Human Resource Management at ext. 4821 if you have questions or want additional information.

A big thank-you goes out to everyone who so kindly and generously supported the 16th annual Student Art Sale. Sales were stronger this year than in the past two years, proving that this college community supports its students! Through this event, students participated in a "real world" experience, tested their works in the marketplace, and earned some money at the same time.

Thanks again and happy holidays to all!

President Podolefsky and the Buffalo State College Council have approved the renaming of the building originally called Buckham Campus School (most recently referred to as Campus West) to Buckham Hall. This name reflects our institution’s history as a normal school and recognizes the significant contributions of its first principal, Henry B. Buckham (principal from 1871 to 1886). The building is currently being used as surge space, facilitating various campus construction projects. The four-letter building abbreviation for Buckham Hall is BUCK.

Please use the new name and abbreviation on all institutional records and documents going forward.

The Small Business Development Center presents “Survive and Thrive: Essentials for Starting Your Own Business,” a workshop covering all the essential information needed to start a business, on Wednesday, January 16, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Burchfield Penney Art Center (second floor). Specific topics will include creating a business plan; competition analysis; and tax, legal, and insurance issues. The workshop is free for faculty and staff members, students, alumni, and U.S. military veterans and $20 for all others.

Registration will take place immediately before the workshop, from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m. To register in advance, please visit www.buffalostate.edu/sbdc or call the SBDC at ext. 4030.

The Summer Session 2013 master schedule is now viewable online on the Registrar's Office website or on the Summer Session page. The Registrar's Office website also contains important session deadline information. Registration for Summer Session will begin on Wednesday, April 3.

After you have completed and saved your grades, go back into your roster and double-check that all grades are recorded as you intended.

The fall 2012 faculty grading window closes today at 9:00 p.m.

Based on faculty feedback from spring 2012 grading, we wish to highlight the proper input of "Last Date of Attendance" covered in the grading tip sheet.

"Last Attend Date" entry: If you are entering the "Last Attend Date," Banner will accept only one format: MM/DD/YYYY, e.g., for a student who last attended September 27, 2012, the entry would be 09/27/2012. Incorrect entries will cause all subsequent grades to be lost, resulting in X grades.