I often ponder leadership and the attributes of successful leaders...

Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.

As I talk to alumni and friends of the college off campus, they often ask what summer is like at Buffalo State...

Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.

I am pleased to announce that James Mayrose has been appointed dean of the School of the Professions at Buffalo State College. Dr. Mayrose, professor and chair of the college’s Engineering Technology Department, will assume his new role July 15.

Dr. Mayrose brings tremendous insight, creativity, and academic depth to the position of dean. His experiences as chair of a growing, applied, and innovative department, and his role as CEO and founder of Tactus Technologies Inc. will contribute to his vision and future leadership of the School of the Professions. His excellent scholarly record, superior teaching, and generous campuswide service will allow him to be an exemplary leader and model for his school.

I would like to thank the search advisory committee chair, Carolyn Hilarski, and the committee members for their efforts throughout the search.

Lastly, special thanks to Rita Zientek for her dedicated service to Buffalo State as the school’s interim dean over the past two years. Dr. Zientek's passion for Buffalo State and her dedication to the School of the Professions is unmatched. I especially wish to thank her for her leadership during the Year of the Innovator that so expertly showcased the innovation of our faculty, staff, and students and the many ways she enhanced her school’s support and commitment to a student-centered environment. I look forward to her continued engagement and her outstanding leadership as she supports the School of the Professions and Academic Affairs more generally.

About James Mayrose
James Mayrose has served as chair of the Engineering Technology Department since 2012, overseeing an exciting period of growth and advancement. In 2013, the Engineering Technology Department—along with the Fashion Textile Technology and Computer Information Systems departments—moved to the state-of-the-art $36.5 million Technology Building on campus. Enrollment in the electrical engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology programs grew by 137 percent and 55 percent, respectively, from fall 2010 to fall 2014.

Mayrose joined the Buffalo State community in 1999 as a part-time lecturer. He was appointed assistant professor in 2006 before earning promotion to associate professor in 2010. He was promoted to professor in 2015. In 2009, Mayrose was honored with the Buffalo State President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

An accomplished entrepreneur, Mayrose was invited to the White House in 2014 to receive the prestigious Tibbetts Award for Innovation from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Mayrose is CEO and founding partner of Tactus Technologies Inc., a maker of virtual reality products for the education and industrial training fields. Established in 2001, the company has garnered more than $5 million in federal research grants. Two of Tactus’s biggest products include V-Frog, a virtual frog dissection simulator, and a virtual forklift safety trainer.

From 1991 to 2006, Mayrose served in various research capacities with the University at Buffalo’s departments of Emergency Medicine, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Physiology. He also worked from 1989 to 1991 with the Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage, New York, as an associate configuration engineer supporting the F-14 fighter aircraft program. 

Mayrose earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering (2000), his M.S. in mechanical engineering (1993), and his B.S. in aerospace engineering (1989) from the University at Buffalo.

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Buffalo State College Archaeological Field School at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York...

Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.

Effective July 1, 2015, the Panorama Hispano News will be added (in addition to the Challenger and the Rocket) to the recruitment form as part of our required posting practices.

This bilingual monthly publication, reaching areas in and surrounding Buffalo, Rochester, Dunkirk, and Erie (Pennsylvania), is part of an effort to expand Buffalo State’s recruitment to all facets of the Buffalo community and our growing Hispanic population.

An eighth-of-a-page black-and-white print ad (5 1/16" x 3 7/8 ) costs a very reasonable $180 and includes web and social media outreach on Facebook. The same ad in color costs $235.

The motion, recommended by me, was approved by the President’s Cabinet June 22, 2015.

Karen Clinton Jones
Chief Diversity Officer

The College Guide for Current and Prospective LGBT Students is now posted on the Resources page of the Equity and Campus Diversity website. This guide offers a number of support resources and helps members of the LGBT community choose the right college and find LGBT-specific scholarships.

LGBT students, like all students, are searching for a comfortable atmosphere in which to pursue higher education. This free guide offers a good starting point for students looking for LGBT-friendly schools, or for current students looking for support. The guide is broken into four sections:

• Identifying LGBT-Friendly Schools
• Scholarship Opportunities
• Additional Support Resources
• Community and National Organizations

Multiple resources are regularly updated on our website. You’re invited to share this information and contact us with questions or more information regarding these growing networks.

Effective July 1, 2015, the Panorama Hispano News will be added (in addition to the Challenger and the Rocket) to the recruitment form as part of our required posting practices.

This bilingual monthly publication, reaching areas in and surrounding Buffalo, Rochester, Dunkirk, and Erie (Pennsylvania), is part of an effort to expand Buffalo State’s recruitment to all facets of the Buffalo community and our growing Hispanic population.

An eighth-of-a-page black-and-white print ad (5 1/16" x 3 7/8") costs a very reasonable $180 and includes web and social media outreach on Facebook. The same ad in color costs $235.

The motion, recommended by me, was approved by the President’s Cabinet on June 22, 2015.

During formal and informal conversations, the Buffalo State community proclaims the importance of education as an elevating and transformative experience...

Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.

Effective July 1, 2015, all professional development staff members and activities were realigned to report to the Equity and Campus Diversity Office under the leadership of Karen Clinton Jones. Dr. Jones has worked collaboratively with many professional development activities and programs across campus and across divisions. Her familiarity, passion for professional development, and expertise will allow her to work strategically with the professional development leadership team as we address multiple campus needs.

I would like to thank Kevin Railey for his supervision and leadership of professional development activities. He has led these activities with enthusiasm and distinction. As Dr. Railey commits additional time to the strategic development of graduate programming, I am assured he will remain a champion of professional development throughout the college.

I know you will work collaboratively with Dr. Jones and the professional development faculty and staff so that we can move forward seamlessly.

The Academic Obligation for 2015–2016 commences on Monday, August 24, 2015, and ends on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.