The annual period for NYSHIP enrollees to make changes to their coverage ends Saturday, November 30. Please see below for information about the annual Option Transfer Period.

NYSHIP enrollees have until Saturday, November 30, to make the following changes to their health insurance coverage for 2014 without a qualifying event:

• Change pretax status for insurance deductions; visit the SUNY website for additional information.
• Voluntarily cancel health insurance.
• Change from family to individual coverage.

Note: Unless you are a new employee or have a qualifying event, the 10-week waiting period still applies to enroll in health insurance for the first time or to add previously eligible dependents to your coverage.

Employees who wish to make the above changes to their coverage are encouraged to complete and return the NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form to Cleveland Hall 410 as soon as possible. 

Annual Option Transfer Period
NYSHIP enrollees have 30 days from the date the 2014 rates are published to

• change their NYSHIP health plan; employees may choose from the Empire Plan or one of two health maintenance organizations: Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY or Independent Health;
• change from a NYSHIP health plan to the Opt-Out Program;
• change from the Opt-Out Program to a NYSHIP health plan.

The Employee Benefits Office will announce the new health plan rates and deadline dates in the Daily Bulletin as soon as they are published. The New York State Employee Benefits Division will also mail information about the 2014 rates and deadline dates to enrolled employees' home addresses. "Choices," a comparison booklet of the insurance plans, will be available on the Human Resource Management website and in the Employee Benefits Office by early December.

Representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY, Independent Health, and the Empire Plan will be at the NYS Health Benefits Fair on Tuesday, December 3, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in E. H. Butler Library 210 to answer questions about current health insurance plans and anticipated changes in coverage for 2014.

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at ext. 4821 with questions.

Looking for a thoughtful gift for a teacher, teacher's aide, secretary, bus driver, crossing guard, or other special caregiver? Memory necklaces will be sold on Tuesday November 26, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union. Proceeds from this sale will benefit Alzheimer's research and the Buffalo State Student Scholarship Fund.

Prices
Necklace with pendant: adult size $8; child size $3–$5
Necklace without pendant: $5
Bracelet: $1
Gift box: $1
Organza gift bag 50¢

Thank you for your continued support.

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.

To help ensure the efficient and timely processing of travel vouchers, the Travel Services Department requests that you please be sure to fill out all requested information completely, including your NYS identification number, when submitting travel reimbursement requests. This number is given to all Buffalo State employees and can be located on employees' pay stubs.

For additional information, please call the Travel Services Department at ext. 4117.

The open enrollment period for the 2014 Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) ends Friday, November 29. PEP is available to eligible CSEA, PEF, UUP, and M/C employees. This program gives eligible employees the opportunity to exchange previously accrued annual leave (vacation) or personal leave for a credit toward the cost of their New York State health insurance on a biweekly basis. Sick leave credit cannot be exchanged under this program.

The PEP description and enrollment form was sent to all eligible employees at their campus addresses. To participate, employees must return the PEP enrollment form to Cleveland Hall 410 by Friday, November 29. Participants currently enrolled in PEP must submit a new form to participate in the 2014 program.

For information about the 2014 Productivity Enhancement Program, including eligibility requirements, please visit the following links:

CSEA and PEF employees

UUP employees

M/C Classified employees

M/C Professional employees

Please call the Employee Benefits Office at ext. 4821 if you have questions.

Improve your test scores and minimize test anxiety by applying these time-tested tips.

Test Troubles? Preparing for and Taking Tests in College
Thursday, December 5
12:15–1:15 p.m.
Bacon Hall 217
Presenter: Elizabeth Stevens

Learn strategies that can improve your ability to navigate multiple-choice exams. A better grade may be just a few tips away.

Taking Multiple-Choice Tests
Tuesday, December 3
12:15–1:15 p.m.
South Wing 320 (computer room)
Presenter: Marie Ferraro

All is not lost! Coordinators in the Academic Advisement Center and the Academic Skills Center have paired up to give you all your options—from taking a leave of absence to focusing your studying efforts so you can maximize your performance on the finals.

So You're Failing...Now What?
Monday, December 2
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Twin Rise 102
Presenters: Patricia Jones and Lauren Copeland

The 12th annual Holiday Open Studios and Galleries takes place Friday, December 6, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Local arts studios and galleries will open their doors, providing an opportunity to experience the diversity and excitement generated by more than 150 local artists and artisans. The venues are clustered in and around an expanded Elmwood Village area. Holiday Open Studios and Galleries is a free event.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center is one of nearly 20 locations participating in the weekend, with more than 30 artists and artisans offering their wares during this very special holiday event. Each year, Holiday Open Studios and Galleries gives the public a chance to meet local artists, visit some of the actual spaces where art is created, and shop for one-of-a-kind gifts. “This event offers a wonderful opportunity to explore both the city and the talent that flourishes in our community,” said Catherine Gillespie, director of Artists in Buffalo Inc. For more information about Artists in Buffalo Inc.—the event’s sponsor—or to download a map with detailed listings, visit www.artistsinbuffalo.org.

Artists at the Burchfield Penney

Jackie Albarella
Aremel Soaps
Art FX Glass
Avalon
Sarah Blackman
Bliss Designs
Buffalo Art Prints
Buffalo Gal Organics
Burchfield Penney Museum Store
C Designs and Illustrations
Rosanna Cappellino
Linda Kissel Collignon
DaVoria
David Day
Julia Duax-Skop
Mike Duflo
Evolve Designs Artisan Jewelry
hm2jewelry by Heather Mordaunt
justbeachy
Mike Killelea
Temi Kucinski
Alison E. Kurek
Junko McGee
Margaret McGowan
Ronna Mink
Mundo Images
Patrice Nash
roadkiln
chary l. robbins
Evette Slaughter
Pat Sorbini
Studio Hart
Woodman Farms
Zenjoy

The Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC) will offer an interactive session for faculty members who are interested in service-learning pedagogy and are new to the practice of incorporating a community-based project into their courses on Wednesday, January 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Bacon Hall 117. We welcome you to join us to explore service learning and the opportunity to engage students in community-based learning opportunities that meet course learning goals while also meeting identified needs in the community.

Topics will include

• an overview of the theory and practice of service-learning,
• support with converting a course to include a community-based project,
• discussion of effective methods of incorporating student reflection to connect the service and course learning.

Workshop leaders will be Gary Welborn, coordinator of community engagement and associate professor of sociology, and Laura Hill Rao, VSLC coordinator.

RSVP to Rose Coates, ext. 5811 or vslc@buffalostate.edu. We hope to see you there!