The next meeting of the Buffalo State College Council will be held on Tuesday, April 4, at 4:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 518.
Agenda
At its March 10, 2017, College Senate meeting, the Student Welfare Committee, in cooperation and with the support of the Budget and Staff Allocation Committee, recommended a motion to increase broad-based fees.
WHEREAS, enrollments have declined for the past three years, causing a reduction in revenues for the broad-based fee accounts; and
WHEREAS, fringe benefit costs continue to increase expenses; and
WHEREAS, in the past years administration has balanced the accounts by reducing administrative overhead expenses, internal reallocations, expenditure controls, and fee increases,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that
1. That the College Senate support the administration’s broad-based fee increase of 2 percent HEPI cap (or $25) for the 2017–2018 fiscal year
2. With the following individual changes: increases for Athletics = $8; Health = $8; and Technology = $9.
I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding student fees for the 2017-2018 academic year and charge the vice president for finance and management with the responsibility for implementing the process to establish these fee amounts.
At its March 10, 2017, meeting, the College Senate voted to forward the following recommendation regarding state staff lines to the president as follows:
WHEREAS, the areas covered by student fees are under substantial fiscal stress; and
WHEREAS, the College Senate Student Welfare and Budget and Staff Allocation committees are recommending that the fees for the 2017-2018 year be raised by the SUNY maximum for the upcoming year; and
WHEREAS, even with these increases the potential for significant cuts is highly likely; and
WHEREAS, many SUNY campuses have moved staff in these areas onto state lines, thereby saving fringe benefit costs and ensuring that these areas are financially viable,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the College Senate recommend to the president that she charge the Comptroller’s Office with analyzing whether Buffalo State should move in the direction of placing staff in these areas on state payroll to save fringe benefit costs for the college and ensuring the viability of these areas; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the comptroller report back to the College Senate the results of his analysis.
I would like to extend my appreciation to the Budget and Staff Allocation Committee and the Student Welfare Committee for the thought and consideration that went into the recommendation for the campus to investigate and move positions off IFR funds to state lines. This movement is already a part of administrative considerations as part of our enhanced focus on all-funds financial management, and when state-purpose funds are available, positions are moved to that funding stream. The administration will continue this practice when possible and appropriate.
Looking back on 1992, we can say it was a very good year. This week we stopped to celebrate 30 individuals who have served Buffalo State College or the SUNY family for 25 years, joining us in 1992...
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In September 2016, I charged the Buffalo State Civic Action Plan Work Group with developing a Civic Action Plan for Buffalo State in alignment with our campus mission and strategic plan. The purpose of the Civic Action Plan is to forward Buffalo State’s role as an urban-engaged campus in the city of Buffalo and expand our civic and community engagement efforts in ways that advance citizenship and positive social change.
The work group has completed its charge, and I am pleased to announce that I have approved a five-year Civic Action Plan for Buffalo State College. You can view the plan in its entirety from my web page.
This plan will serve as the college’s guide for civic engagement moving forward. The development of this plan also meets our institutional commitment to the Campus Compact 30th Anniversary Action Statement of Presidents and Chancellors.
I thank co-chairs Laura Rao, Volunteer and Service-Learning Center coordinator; Alex Means, assistant professor of social and psychological foundations of education; and the members of the Civic Action Plan Work Group for their tremendous efforts in developing this important guiding document for Buffalo State in such an efficient and timely manner. The efforts of the work group will certainly serve us for many years to come.
SUNY Information Security Policy mandates that all SUNY institutions provide security awareness training for all faculty and staff. We are pleased to announce the availability of online "Securing the Human" training through a special subscription from SANS available to participating SUNY campuses. SANS is a worldwide leader in the cybersecurity industry and has trained millions of users across the globe. At Buffalo State, members of RITE and Butler Library completed an initial pilot phase of this online training last fall.
During the spring 2017 semester, Buffalo State will continue its information security awareness initiative by seeking to train more than 500 additional staff and administrators, including the President’s Cabinet, deans’ offices, professional offices, and all who hold secretarial or similar positions in academic departments on campus. Please check the RITE Information Security web page to determine whether your department will undergo training this round.
During the week of April 10, participants will receive an e-mail indicating they have been registered for training. The e-mail will contain a link to the SANS training system. Once on the site, users will select "Buffalo State" from the drop-down menu and log in with their Buffalo State credentials. The training consists of eight separate titles, which include a short video (3–5 minute) presentation and a brief quiz. Once you have completed all training assessments, you will be given the opportunity to print a certificate of completion.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our SANS administrator, Melissa Miszkiewicz.
Following consultation with the College Senate and approval by all academic deans, I am pleased to announce the formation of the Data Analytics Interdisciplinary Unit. Data analytics is a rapidly growing discipline, expertise in which leads to excellent opportunities in a wide variety of fields. Data analytics is highly interdisciplinary, with applications and practitioners in fields as varied as biology, business, computer information systems, economics, education, geography, health promotion, mathematics, medicine, sociology, urban planning, and others.
A degree program in data analytics is not currently offered by a department at Buffalo State, and because of the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the wide range of disciplines from which participating faculty will be drawn, I believe this will best be done through an interdisciplinary unit. Faculty associates affiliated with the interdisciplinary unit will develop curriculum to form a professional science master’s (PSM) degree program in data analytics, along with a graduate certificate to be administered by the unit. The Data Analytics Interdisciplinary Unit will be housed in the School of Natural and Social Sciences, and the initial coordinator for the unit will be Barbara Sherman, associate professor and chair of the Computer Information Systems Department.
I cordially invite all Buffalo State faculty and staff members to a Mexican Fiesta from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5, in the Student Union Plaza.
Mexican food and beverages will be served. We will also enjoy music from Kevin Doyle and Sol y Sombra and have a Bengal raffle for door prizes as we celebrate the completion of another wonderful academic year at Buffalo State.
All employees will be automatically entered in the raffle. You do not need to be present to win.
RSVP to Melissa Slisz, staff assistant in the President's Office, or call 878-4102 by the close of business today.
I cordially invite all Buffalo State faculty and staff members to a Mexican Fiesta from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5, in the Student Union Plaza.
Mexican food and beverages will be served. We will also enjoy music from Kevin Doyle and Sol y Sombra and have a Bengal raffle for door prizes as we celebrate the completion of another wonderful academic year at Buffalo State.
All employees will be automatically entered in the raffle. You do not need to be present to win.
RSVP to Melissa Slisz, staff assistant in the President's Office, by Monday, May 1, or call 878-4102.
Last week the Buffalo State community came together with the Patricia and Richard Garman family to celebrate the official dedication of the Patricia and Richard Garman Art Conservation Department...
Please follow my blog at http://kateconwayturner.tumblr.com.