Buffalo State College will join other SUNY campuses and Americans throughout the nation in paying tribute to our veterans by lighting the Rockwell Hall bell tower with green lights from Tuesday, November 10, through Tuesday, November 17. We hope this gesture will, in some small way, express our gratitude to our many veteran and military students, faculty, staff, and alumni and to the citizens of Buffalo and Western New York who have sacrificed in service to this country. I invite each member of the Buffalo State College community to join us in the Greenlight a Vet campaign. Whether you display a green light in your home, at the window of your dorm room, in your office, or in some other way, I ask that you show your personal appreciation to those who have gone above and beyond to protect our freedoms and our liberties.

I have asked Wanda Davis, chair of this year’s Campus Safety Forum, to establish a special subcommittee to review and advise us on some specific campus safety issues. I am pleased to inform you that the members of the subcommittee have been identified and will begin their work with the Campus Safety Forum immediately. Below you will find the updated membership of the Campus Safety Forum, including those appointed to the special subcommittee.

Committee
Chair: Wanda Davis, Professor, Higher Education Administration
Staff Support: Charles Kenyon, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Barish Ali, Assistant Professor, English
Frances Gage, Associate Professor, Fine Arts
Paula Madrigal, Wellness and Prevention Coordinator, Weigel Health Center
Carole Miller-Canestrari, Senior Counselor, Educational Opportunity Program
Jason Parker, Diversity Program Coordinator, Equity and Campus Diversity
Amy Pedlow, Assistant Chief of Police, University Police
Ramona Santa Maria, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems
Mary Toll, Complex Director, Residence Life
William White, Professor, Social and Psychological Foundations of Education; Director, Faculty Development
Students: Darien Borgella, Marcel Baker, Christina Creighton, Jeffrey Scharoun, Nikita Singh.

Subcommittee
Jerod Dahlgren, Public Relations Director, College Relations
Cynthia Fasla, Interim Registrar, Registrar’s Office
Dawn Greil, Secretary I, Higher Education Administration
Terry Harding, Director, Campus Services
Lisa Krieger, Assistant Vice President, Finance and Management
Steven Shaffer, Manager of Design and Construction, Facilities Planning
Todd Sholtz, Network Analyst, Computing and Technology Services

The Campus Safety Forum serves as an advisory committee on campus security. The Safety Forum reviews current campus security policies and procedures and makes recommendations for their improvement. It specifically reviews current policies and procedures for (1) educating the campus community, including security personnel and those who advise or supervise students, about sexual assault; (2) educating the campus community about personal safety and crime prevention; (3) reporting sexual assaults and dealing with victims during investigations; (4) referring complaints to appropriate authorities; (5) counseling victims; and (6) responding to inquiries from concerned persons.

The Safety Forum provides written reports to the college president on its findings and recommendations at least once each academic year. Reports are available upon request from the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, Cleveland Hall 519.

The College Planning Council (CPC) invites all members of the campus community to the first open forums to begin the important work of writing a new strategic plan for Buffalo State. This document will guide the college for the next five years, and it is critical that all voices be heard. Students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to attend one of the following kickoff meetings:

• Tuesday, November 24, 12:15–1:40 p.m., Campbell Student Union Social Hall
• Friday, December 11, 10:00 a.m.–noon, Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall

To assist us with planning, please e-mail Carolyn Martino, assistant to the provost, with the date of the open forum you plan to attend.

In addition to these initial open forums, the CPC will be meeting with numerous focus groups in the coming months and will schedule additional open forums as the draft document begins to take shape. All meeting notes will be published on the strategic planning web page, currently under construction, where draft plans will also be presented for community comment.

Please note: The November 24 open forum has reached capacity. Please see addendum below.

The College Planning Council (CPC) invites all members of the campus community to an open forum tomorrow, Tuesday, November 24, from 12:15 to 1:40 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall to begin the important work of writing a new strategic plan for Buffalo State. This document will guide the college for the next five years, and it is critical that all voices be heard. Students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to attend today’s kickoff meeting.

A second open forum will be held on Friday, December 11, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall. To assist us with planning, please e-mail Carolyn Martino, assistant to the provost, with the date of the open forum you plan to attend.

In addition to these initial open forums, the CPC will be meeting with numerous focus groups in the coming months and will schedule additional open forums as the draft document begins to take shape. All meeting notes will be published on the strategic planning web page, currently under construction, where draft plans will also be presented for community comment.

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Addendum
I am happy to announce that we have reached attendance capacity for the first strategic plan open forum on Tuesday, November 24. I appreciate the interest expressed by so many as we begin the important work of a new strategic plan for Buffalo State.

We are still accepting RSVPs for the second strategic plan open forum, which will be held on Friday, December 11, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall. To assist us with planning, please e-mail Carolyn Martino, assistant to the provost, if you plan to attend.

In addition to these initial open forums, the CPC will be meeting with numerous focus groups in the coming months and will schedule additional open forums as the draft document begins to take shape. All meeting notes will be published on the strategic planning web page, currently under construction, where draft plans will also be presented for community comment.

Last week, in a very public way, colleges and universities watched as concerns related to inclusion and social justice unfolded at the University of Missouri....

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

The College Planning Council (CPC) invites all members of the campus community to the first open forums to begin the important work of writing a new strategic plan for Buffalo State. This document will guide the college for the next five years, and it is critical that all voices be heard. Students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to attend one of the following kickoff meetings:

• Tuesday, November 24, 12:15–1:40 p.m., Campbell Student Union Social Hall
• Friday, December 11, 10:00 a.m.–noon, Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall

To assist us with planning, please e-mail Carolyn Martino, assistant to the provost, with the date of the open forum you plan to attend.

In addition to these initial open forums, the CPC will be meeting with numerous focus groups in the coming months and will schedule additional open forums as the draft document begins to take shape. All meeting notes will be published on the strategic planning web page, currently under construction, where draft plans will also be presented for community comment.

Scholarship processing is moving to a centralized model located in the Financial Aid Office using the software Academic Works. With the successful Transforming Lives campaign raising over $27 million, Academic Works will help students efficiently locate and apply for scholarships. Implementing the centralized scholarship model should provide us with a stronger ability to attract and retain top students by offering students one location to review requirements and apply for scholarships.

We will be conducting a phased-in approach for Academic Works starting with the launch on November 15 with a small number of spring 2016 scholarships. We anticipate full deployment for fall 2016 scholarships with training to commence in the spring semester. Some scholarships may continue to reside in departments outside of Financial Aid and Academic Works, but students will be directed to those departments by notifications within Academic Works.

Because we may experience some challenges as we launch this new system, the Financial Aid Office will have a shadow process in place to ensure continuity of scholarship services to students.

An e-mail address has been set up for students to ask questions: scholarship@buffalostate.edu.

My husband, Dr. Alvin Turner, and I cordially invite you to attend this year’s Campus Holiday Party on Friday, December 11, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. We also invite you to join us in the giving spirit of the season by bringing a new unwrapped toy for a child in our local community.

RSVP by Tuesday, December 8.

My husband, Dr. Alvin Turner, and I cordially invite you to attend this year’s Campus Holiday Party on Friday, December 11, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. We also invite you to join us in the giving spirit of the season by bringing a new unwrapped toy for a child in our local community.

Today is the final day to RSVP.

I had the opportunity to join 27 other members of the Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance in a private briefing and discussion on the state of women worldwide with Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations undersecretary general and executive director of UN Women...

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