The east entrance of the Campbell Student Union (facing E. H. Butler Library) has reopened to the public. Through this entrance, you can once again access retail dining and the newly refurbished elevator, providing access to the basement level, main floor, and fourth floor. The third floor will remain inaccessible until the completion of the project, which is anticipated in January 2013. The upper lobby remains under construction, with no traffic permitted through to the lower lobby. To reach the lower lobby, including the bookstore, ATM’s, and Information Center, you must walk through retail dining or outside the building to the north entrance (toward Cassety Hall). The main floor renovation is expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.

These are exciting times at Buffalo State, as our university is in the midst of a $350 million physical transformation. Projects such as the Technology Building, the Science and Mathematics Complex, and the extensive rehabilitations of the Campbell Student Union, Houston Gym, and Rockwell Hall will greatly enhance the student experience at Buffalo State.

Of course, with progress comes some disruption. As these construction projects continue, the campus community is encouraged to visit www.buffalostate.edu/construction for updates on projects and maps of construction zones and accessible routes.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding campus construction, please contact vpfm@buffalostate.edu. Your opinion counts!

Thanks for your patience.

Students can learn how to spend a semester studying in Siena, Italy, during this information session on Thursday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Bacon Hall 117. Students will witness the Siena experience via a PowerPoint presentation; hear from former program participants; find out about financial aid, scholarships, and how courses taken in Siena fulfill requirements at Buffalo State; and sample authentic Italian refreshments. Family members and friends are also welcome to learn more about how their students can partake in an experience that has been transforming students' lives since 1961. A more abbreviated information session on Siena will also be offered at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center East 2.

The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) will host community organizations on campus on Tuesday, September 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the Volunteer Fair and National Day of Service. Please join us in observing 9/11 as a day of good deeds, when we pay tribute together through a day of national service. 9/11 Day is a movement built on people remembering through positive action. Organizations from across the region will join us on campus in the quad between the Campbell Student Union and E. H. Butler Library and in Butler Library 210.

Participants can spend 10 minutes or two hours during the event on volunteer projects organized by the community organizations, and organization representatives will be on hand to discuss short- and long-term volunteer opportunities. Explore opportunities to support your community, connect with local organizations, act to make a difference, and support "Year of the City"!

Students will learn how they can earn 6 credits by attending weekly workshops during the spring semester followed by three weeks of travel in Puerto Rico during this information session on Thursday, September 27, at 12:15 p.m. in Bacon Hall 115. Students will learn how financial aid applies and about scholarships that are available. Knowledge of Spanish is not required!

Students can learn how to spend a semester studying at one of Buffalo State's four partner universities in Australia or our partner university in England during this information session on Tuesday, September 25, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South. Students will find out how courses taken there fulfill requirements here, how financial aid applies, about scholarships that are available, and about other creative ways that students fund their overseas experiences. Please encourage them not to miss out on these life-changing and career-enhancing opportunities!

Students can learn how to spend a semester studying at the School of Economics and Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, during this information session on Thursday, September 20, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center East 2. Students will learn how courses taken there fulfill requirements here, how financial aid applies, about scholarships that are available, and about other creative ways students fund their overseas experiences. Please encourage them not to miss out on this life-changing and career-enhancing opportunity!

Students can learn how financial aid applies to National Student Exchange and overseas programs, how they may qualify for additional aid, and the timeline for processing aid applications during this information session on Thursday, September 13, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South. Students will learn about available scholarships and other creative ways that students can finance participation in exchange programs and study abroad. Please encourage them not to miss this workshop!

Students can learn about the benefits of exchange and study abroad and about the 600-plus overseas programs in 60 countries sponsored by the State University of New York during this information session on Thursday, September 6, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center South.

Students will learn about the application process and cost, how to select a program, how to determine the best time to go, how coursework applies to requirements at Buffalo State, and how financial aid and scholarships can assist them in participating in one or more of these life-changing and career-enhancing experiences.

This hands-on session will demonstrate the basics of creating interactive activities and lessons using SMART Notebook software. Participants will engage in examples of interactive white board activities and then follow step-by-step instructions to create their own simple activities and try them on the SMART Board. Bring a flash drive to receive sample activity files and to save your own work. Presented by Sue McMillen on Thursday, September 6, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 318 and repeated on Friday, September 7, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in E. H. Butler Library 316.

To attend on September 6, register at http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration/classdetails.asp?class=2937.

To attend on September 7, register at http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/registration/classdetails.asp?class=2938.