Put Wednesday, December 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on your calendar. This fabulous School of Arts and Humanities event in the Czurles-Nelson Gallery features student work from the Art Education, Design, and Fine Arts departments. Not only is there a wide range of media, but prices are reasonable. Decorate your home or office or purchase gifts. Either way, you will be supporting our students.

If you have any questions, please contact Carol Townsend, ext. 4986.

The campus community is warmly invited to attend the lecture "The Allure of Chinese Food and Culture" with Ruth X. Guo, associate professor of computer information systems, on Tuesday, December 3, from 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

This lecture is an integral part of a lecture series sponsored by the International Student Advisory Council.

The Burchfield Penney Book Club returns Sunday, December 1, with a reading and discussion of The First Desire by Nancy Reisman, associate professor of English at Vanderbilt University, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Conference Room. Reisman will be available to sign books at the meeting. Participation is free for Burchfield Penney members; general admission applies to "not yet" members.

When Sadie looks out her window and sees her brother standing on the front lawn, she knows he can't bring good news. Fidgeting over coffee with sugar and cream, he explains: Their sister is gone. Three days earlier Goldie left to go shopping and she has not returned. With Goldie's disappearance as the catalyst, The First Desire takes us deep into the life of the Cohen family and Buffalo, New York, from the Great Depression to the years immediately following World War II. Shifting perspectives from siblings Sadie, Jo, Goldie, and Irving, we learn of the secrets they have managed to keep hidden—and of Lillian, the beautiful woman their father took as a lover while his wife was dying. In this astonishing novel, Reisman brings to life the love, grief, and desires that ultimately bind one family together.

Reisman is a Buffalo native who earned her master of fine arts from the University of Massachusetts. Read one of her short stories, "No Place More Beautiful," on the Vanderbilt website.

The Burchfield Penney Book Club will continue with High Hopes: The Rise and Decline of Buffalo, New York by Mark Goldman on January 5, and The Best Planned City in the World: Olmsted, Vaux, and the Buffalo Park System by Frank Kowsky on February 2. All books are available in the Burchfield Penney's Museum Store. Each author will be available to discuss and sign his or her book with us at each book club meeting.

If you are one of the faculty members who were not able to complete the Buffalo State Course Content Migration Request form by October 10, the second-round form is now available to you. Please complete and submit the form by noon on Thursday, December 5. As always, be sure to schedule your Blackboard training accordingly. The training schedule is available on the Workshop Registration System. If you have any questions, please call Instructional Resources at ext. 3036.

The Buffalo State Fitness Center will be closed Wednesday, November 27, through Friday, November 29, for Thanksgiving. We will reopen Saturday, November 30, for our regular business hours. Thanks and have a great holiday!

The Equity and Campus Diversity Office will host the final presentation of the Diversity Dialogue Series, “Race: Are We So Different?” with Ron Stewart, professor of sociology, on Thursday, December 5, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. Accompanying Stewart in facilitating the discussion will be Ellen Kongphet, graduate student in the applied economics program. Please spread the word and join us for an in-depth discussion, interaction, speakers, and free food!

This dialogue is held in cooperation with the National Coalition Building Institute and the NAACP Club and the Sociology Club of SUNY Buffalo State. The five-part Diversity Dialogues Series was created by Lavere Foster, graduate student, in coordination with various community groups as well as facilitators from our own campus.

For more information, please visit the Equity and Campus Diversity website.

Tower 4 residence hall was taken off-line and completely renovated during the 2012–2013 year as part of a multiyear renovation plan for the Tower residence halls. This fall, the renovated building was re-opened, and students are now living there. We invite you to join us in Tower 4 for a tour to see the great upgrades to student campus living during an open house on Tuesday, December 3, from noon to 2:00 p.m. Tours will be given and refreshments will be available. All are welcome.

Join us in celebrating Computer Science Education Week on Tuesday, December 3, during Bengal Pause (noon–1:30 p.m.) in the Technology Building main lobby. Encourage your students to stop by to play video games or interact with digital stories developed by CIS freshman students. Recognize the tremendous job growth in the computer industry, which is causing a shortage of computing professionals in the United States. Discover what women and minorities have contributed to computer science. Learn about local technology companies and job opportunities, the CIS undergraduate program at Buffalo State, and computer science education in general. Stop by for refreshments and enter your name in a raffle drawing.

Please note the following changes in Buffalo State Dining's hours of operation due to the holiday break:

Wednesday, November 27
Resident Dining
Closed

Food Court 
Spot Coffee: 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
with the addition of Outtakes sandwiches, subs, and salads as well as hot meal options.

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Thursday, November 28–Saturday, November 30
All dining locations closed because of the holiday break.

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Sunday, December 1
Resident Dining
Brunch: Noon–4:00 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30–8:30 p.m.

Food Court
Spot Coffee: Noon–10:00 p.m.
Subway: Noon–11:00 p.m.
2.mato: 4:00–11:00 p.m.

For more information on Buffalo State Dining, please visit our website or follow us on Twitter.

Winterim 2014 represents the 10th anniversary of Winterim's revival in 2004. Be part of the celebration by presenting a workshop on your favorite subject. We need fun things to do as well as professional development workshops. Contact Paul Reynolds if you have an idea for a presentation.