Once again this year, Buffalo State College will participate in the J. P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge on Thursday, June 7, at 6:45 p.m. in Delaware Park. Participation as a runner or walker in the 3.5-mile race is open to any current Buffalo State College faculty or staff member. All race proceeds benefit the American Red Cross chapters of Western New York. You must register to run or walk by Monday, May 28. Registration for the Buffalo State team can be completed online by visiting the J. P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge web page. For additional information about our team and post-race festivities, please visit our team Facebook page. This is a great opportunity to meet other Buffalo State faculty and staff members while enjoying one of the largest charitable events in the city of Buffalo. Questions can be directed to team captains Jessica Eagan, ext. 4408, or Mary Finger, ext. 3649, both staff members of the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

As announced in previous Daily Bulletin submissions, the Travel Services Office cannot issue travel advances because of the depletion of campus advance funds. We are currently processing completed travel vouchers, however, that are not associated with a travel advance.

The distribution of travel reimbursement payments has changed as follows because of the new Statewide Financial System:

1. If a New York State employee uses direct deposit for his or her pay, travel reimbursements will be directly deposited into the same account.
2. If a New York State employee receives his or her pay in check form, travel reimbursements will also be processed in check form. These checks will originate in Albany and be sent directly to the employee’s home address. Checks cannot be picked up on campus.

If you have any questions concerning these changes, please call our office at ext. 4117.

Commencement marchers: Please note that the robing room will be changed this year from its previous location. On Commencement day, May 12, please report to the Ice Arena upper lobby, located on the second floor of the sports complex. Report at the appropriate time according to Commencement day reporting instructions, and use the Sports Complex map for marcher entrance directions. Signage on Commencement day will direct you to the new robing room location. Please direct any marcher questions to Patricia Alessandra via the Commencement registration e-mail.

Volunteer ushers: Your reporting location has not changed; please continue to report to the hallway at the top of the stairs on the second floor of Houston Gym according to your reporting instructions and times. Direct any volunteer usher questions to Mary Beth Wojtaszek.

Thank you to all who have planned to dedicate a few hours of their time to celebrate the Buffalo State Class of 2012.

Thank you to faculty and staff who have answered the call to march at Commencement! If you haven't yet registered, we need you!

Celebrate your graduates' accomplishments by being there on their special day. Commencement marchers are needed for all three Commencement ceremonies to truly make this an exceptional occasion and one that the Class of 2012 will long remember.

The pageantry of the procession is an elegant display of our rich academic tradition, and your participation as a marcher is deeply meaningful to your graduates as a display of your support. Online registration has been extended to May 5; please register today and also plan to celebrate with your graduates at the post-ceremony receptions, where you can congratulate them personally and meet their families.

You may direct any marcher registration questions or make alterations to your existing registration by e-mailing commencereg@buffalostate.edu.

Thank you for planning to celebrate with the Class of 2012.

What is Active Minds? It is a national student-run mental health awareness, education, and advocacy group on college campuses throughout North America—and it has been active at Buffalo State College since spring 2010!  Active Minds is dedicated to increasing students’ awareness of mental health issues, providing information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness, and encouraging students to seek help as soon as it is needed. It also serves as a liaison between students and the mental health community.

The Buffalo State Chapter (National Active Minds) has spearheaded several innovative initiatives focused on mental health awareness, such as cosponsoring nationally known keynote speakers Eric Weaver from Overcoming the Darkness and Maggie Bertram from the National Active Minds speakers bureau, the BeSeCret (Post-Secret) Community Art Project, and Send Silence Packing.

Please encourage students to check it out on Thursday, May 3, at 4:00 p.m. in Caudell Hall 216. Officers will be nominated at this meeting as well. Students interested in mental health, advocacy, leadership, empowerment, and connecting with others will really enjoy their involvement with Active Minds. Check out the Facebook page for more information or contact Suzanne Johnson in the Counseling Center.

Thank you to those who answered the appeal for Commencement volunteer ushers! The 10:00 a.m. baccalaureate ceremony is fairly well staffed; however, the 2:00 p.m. baccalaureate ceremony and the 6:00 p.m. master's and C.A.S. ceremony are both still understaffed. Your assistance is greatly needed and appreciated.

To help out, please register online, where you will also find a list of currently registered ushers. Online registration has been extended to May 5. Forward any questions you may have regarding Commencement ushering to Mary Beth Wojtaszek in the Events Management Office.

Thank you very much.

Applications are being accepted for the "Integration of Undergraduate Research into the Curriculum" program. Modest stipends will be provided to faculty members to support the development of new courses or the revision of existing courses to include a substantial undergraduate research, scholarly, or creative activity.

The expected outcomes are submission of a course revision or new course proposal to the College Senate Curriculum Committee and teaching the course. This program is not intended to support minor revisions to courses that already include a research component. Lower- and upper-level courses are eligible, and courses targeting specific student audiences (e.g., non-majors, pre-majors, and majors) are acceptable.

Deadline for proposals is Monday, May 7. Applications are completed online.

Applications are being accepted for the "Integration of Undergraduate Research into the Curriculum" program. Modest stipends will be provided to faculty members to support the development of new courses or the revision of existing courses to include a substantial undergraduate research, scholarly, or creative activity.

The expected outcomes are submission of a course revision or new course proposal to the College Senate Curriculum Committee and teaching the course. This program is not intended to support minor revisions to courses that already include a research component. Lower- and upper-level courses are eligible, and courses targeting specific student audiences (e.g., non-majors, pre-majors, and majors) are acceptable.

The deadline for proposals is Monday, May 7. Applications are completed online.

The grading window for Summer Session 1 will close tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. Detailed documentation for entering grades is available at http://buffalostate.edu/banner/documents/grading.pdf. Assistance is available by calling the Computing Help Desk at ext. 4357 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have questions about grading, please call the Registrar's Office at ext. 4811. We have provided a grading tip sheet so that your end-of-summer-session grading will be smoother and more successful.

Faculty members will enter their summer 2012 grades using Banner. The grading window is now open for Summer Session 1 and will close at 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 18. Detailed documentation for entering grades is available at http://buffalostate.edu/banner/documents/grading.pdf. Additionally, assistance is available by calling the Computing Help Desk at ext. 4357 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have any questions about grading, please call the Registrar's Office at ext. 4811. We have provided a grading tip sheet so that your end-of-summer-session grading will be smoother and more successful.