I am pleased to congratulate the following faculty members on their promotions, effective September 1, 2015:

Promotion to Professor
Sarbani Banerjee, Computer Information Systems
Kelly Frothingham, Geography and Planning
M. Scott Goodman, Chemistry
Jill Gradwell, History and Social Studies Education
Ruth Guo, Computer Information Systems
Pixita del Prado Hill, Elementary Education and Reading
Joseph Marren, Communication
James Mayrose, Engineering Technology
Kenneth Orosz, History and Social Studies Education
Allen Shelton, Sociology
Tao Tang, Geography and Planning
William White, Social and Psychological Foundations of Education

Promotion to Associate Professor
Carolyn Guzski, Music
Jinseok Heo, Chemistry
Jevon Hunter, Elementary Education and Reading
Susan Maguire, Anthropology
Bhakti Sharma, Interior Design
JawJeong Wu, Criminal Justice
Awilda Ramos Zagarrigo, Exceptional Education

Promotion to Librarian
Marianne Foley, Butler Library

I am pleased to announce the membership of the 2015–2016 Buffalo State College Commencement Committee:

Chair: Lisa Rafferty, Exceptional Education
Vice Chair: Ramona Santa Maria, Computer Information Systems
Immediate Past Chair: Joseph Marren, Communication
Secretary to the Committee: Cathy Cook, Academic Affairs
Patricia Alessandra, Academic Affairs
Lisa Marie Anselmi, Anthropology
Elisa Bergslien, Earth Sciences and Science Education
Peter Carey, University Police
Bonita Durand, President's Office
Mary Dwyer, Institutional Advancement
Bernadette Gilliam, Events Management
Andrea Guiati, Modern and Classical Languages; Muriel A. Howard Honors Program
Mary-Jo Jagord, Alumni Affairs
Melaine Kenyon, Instructional Resources
Lisa Krieger, Finance and Management
Marnie Letzelter, Graduate School
Camilo Maldonado, Speech-Language Pathology
Daniel Vélez, Student Affairs
Jamie Warnes, Human Resource Management
Sherri Weber, Elementary Education and Reading
Rita Zientek, School of the Professions
Malika Cuffie, Undergraduate Student Representative
Latia Ebanks, Undergraduate Student Representative
Courtney Blake, Graduate Student Representative
Jholane Haber, Graduate Student Representative

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Correction: September 24, 2015
The original version of this announcement incorrectly listed the committee vice chair. We regret the error.

I am pleased to announce that the following faculty and staff members will serve on the 2015–2016 Honorary Degree Committee:

Co-Chair: Ann Colley, Distinguished Professor, English
Co-Chair: Maryruth Glogowski, Associate Vice President for Information Services and Systems
Bill Benfanti, Associate Vice President for Government Relations
John Cabra, Associate Professor, Center for Studies in Creativity
Krista Vince Garland, Assistant Professor, Exceptional Education
Camille Holmgren, Associate Professor, Geography and Planning
Charles Kenyon, Associate Vice President; Dean of Students
Lawrence Maheady, Horace Mann Endowed Chair, Exceptional Education
Daniel Potts, Associate Professor, Biology
Judith Walsh, Professor, Art Conservation
Nancy Weekly, Head of Collections, Burchfield Penney Art Center
Amy Wilson, Assistant Professor, Higher Education Administration
Sergio Ossorio, Graduate Intern, President’s Office

Bonita R. Durand, Chief of Staff, President’s Office, will provide staff support to the committee.

I am pleased to announce the following members of the College Planning Council (CPC):

Chair: Melanie Perreault, Provost
William Benfanti, Associate Vice President for Government Relations
Lisa Berglund, Chair and Professor, English
Ho Eui Bewlay, Associate Professor, Music
Lynn Boorady, Chair and Associate Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology
Kelly Boos, Assistant to the Dean, Natural and Social Sciences; Chair, Professional Staff Caucus
Cynthia Conides, Associate Professor, History and Social Studies Education
Robert Delprino, Professor, Psychology
David Demers, CIO, Information Services and Systems
Bonita Durand, Chief of Staff, President’s Office
Ann Emo, Chair and Associate Professor, Theater
Jason Grinnell, Chair, Philosophy and Humanities
Derek Jorden, President, United Students Government
Charles Kenyon, Associate Vice President; Dean of Students
Kimberly Kline, Chair and Associate Professor, Higher Education Administration
Lisa Krieger, Assistant Vice President, Finance and Management
Christine Matos, President, Graduate Student Association
James Mayrose, Dean, School of the Professions
Steve McCarville, Alumnus
Amy McMillian, Associate Professor, Biology
Kevin Miller, Professor, Exceptional Education
Jason Parker, Diversity Program Coordinator, Equity and Diversity
Hal Payne, Vice President for Students Affairs
Gerard Puccio, Chair and Professor, Center for Studies in Creativity
Sarah Reid, Facilities Planner, Facilities Planning
Karen Skoney, Secretary 1, Psychology
Daniel Vélez, Associate Vice President for Student Success
Amitra Wall, Professor, Sociology; Chair, Political Science; Assistant Dean, Intellectual Foundations
Kathy Wood, Associate Dean, School of Education

The CPC serves as an advisory committee to the president. The committee is charged with reviewing current and previous Buffalo State strategic plans; examining key directives that are currently in place from SUNY; and gathering the perspectives of all constituents of the campus community in order to recommend a set of strategic directions for the campus with well-defined objectives for the 2016–2021 period.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) invites the state workforce—and all New Yorkers—to wear purple on Wednesday, October 21, to support the State’s “Shine the Light on Domestic Violence” campaign to end domestic violence. Help turn New York State purple: wear purple on Wednesday, October 21.

Download the poster (PDF) or visit the OPDV website to learn more.

The next meeting of the Buffalo State College Council will be held at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 13, in Classroom Building A400.

Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Action Items
   Approval of Minutes: April 21, 2015
   Approval of 2014–2015 Annual Report
3. Chair’s Report
4. President’s Report
5. Committee Reports
6. Announcements
7. Executive Session (If Necessary)
8. Adjournment

Buffalo State submitted its 2014–2015 Internal Control Summary and Certification to SUNY on April 9, 2015. This is a critical submission for the campus as it summarizes a year’s worth of internal control program activities, reviews, and audits.

At this time, staff members in SUNY System Administration have completed review of all campus submissions and submitted SUNY’s agency-wide response to New York State. Buffalo State’s submission and responses were found to adequately address the six requirements set forth in Budget Policy and Reporting Manual B-350, and full compliance has been recorded for the campus for the year ending March 31, 2015.

Acceptance of Buffalo State’s certification by SUNY recognizes our comprehensive efforts to promote organizational efficiency and economy and encourage adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and managerial policies and practices. As a member of the Buffalo State community, you should be aware that internal controls are everyone’s responsibility. A copy of the campus submission is available on the Buffalo State Internal Control Program website. I encourage your review of Buffalo State’s certification submission (PDF) and welcome any questions you may have.

We look forward to your continuing support for internal controls and value your efforts toward this end.

September 6–13, I joined 17 presidents from across the country on a mission to Cuba sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)...

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

Amber Gilewski and Sophia Georgiakaki, faculty members at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), will share their expertise and lead Buffalo State faculty members in a discipline-specific Open Educational Resources (OER) Boot Camp on Friday, October 16. Gilewski and Georgiakaki have developed and implemented OER courses at their college and have led OER development projects nationally.

The workshop will be broken into two sessions: The morning session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Bulger Communication Center North 2A. This session will include a brief overview of OER basics, examples, and best practices from the successful implementation at TC3, data on the success rates, and the financial impact of OERs. Lunch will be provided at the morning session.

The afternoon session will be held from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in Butler Library 318. Attendees will break into discipline-specific groups to discuss their experiences and get expert advice on finding and incorporating OERs into their courses. They will also learn how to save time and increase student learning with OERs.

Participants can attend one or both sessions but are encouraged to attend both. Please register for either or both sessions by Wednesday, October 14, using the CyberQuad Workshop Registration System to ensure an adequate lunch order.

The Buffalo State community is invited to join me along with University Police and United Students Government at a town hall meeting about campus safety on Sunday, October 4, at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Please join us with your thoughts and ideas on Sunday evening, or e-mail them to vpfm@buffalostate.edu, and we’ll share them with the President’s Cabinet.