Forms for submission of 2016–2017 annual reports for faculty, librarians, professional staff, academic departments, and administrative departments are posted on the Human Resource Management website.

The timetable for submission of 2016–2017 annual reports is as follows:

• Friday, June 30: Individual reports from faculty, librarians, and professional staff submitted to director or department chair
• Friday, July 21: Department reports submitted to dean or associate vice president
• Tuesday, August 8: Associate vice president and dean reports submitted to vice president, provost, or CIO

The campus community is cordially invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center on Tuesday, May 23, at 4:00 p.m. at the corner of Rockwell Road and Rees Street. Remarks and a reception will be held under a tent in the northwest corner of Lot R-14. The favor of a reply is requested by Friday, May 19. Please call 878-5115 to RSVP.

Last week we officially wrapped up the 2017 Faculty and Staff Appeal. I am happy to report that we’ve almost reached 100 percent of this year’s fundraising goal.

I know Buffalo State is a caring campus where faculty and staff members truly care about our students’ well-being, and that is evidenced in the generous contributions provided through this appeal. Please know that your gifts have a direct effect on students—from scholarships to enhanced classroom learning.

For those who haven’t yet contributed, there is still time. If you’re interested, please contact Mario Hicks, director of annual giving, 878-3467. To those of you who already made a contribution, thanks again for choosing to support our students. Your generosity makes me extremely grateful and proud.

Please note that the normal hours of operation at Buffalo State College are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the exception of recognized holidays. All college offices are to be open and available for business during these hours. This does not mean that all employees will work during these standard hours. Nor does it preclude offices from extending hours to accommodate the needs of the students, faculty, and staff they serve.

Please ensure that your office is in compliance with the normal hours of operation and if not, make the necessary adjustments immediately. If you have questions, consult your office supervisor or respective cabinet member for assistance and direction.

Thank you for your continued efforts that help us all support our students, our colleagues, and our external community partners by maintaining normal hours of operation.

In alignment with President Conway-Turner’s goal of finding new ways to increase our efficiency and effectiveness through administrative reorganizations, we will be making some changes to the organizational structures of the Sponsored Program Operations (SPO) Office, the Research and Economic Development Office, and the Center for Development of Human Services (CDHS).

Effective July 1, 2017, the Pre-Award and Contract Services unit of Research and Economic Development, the finance staff of CDHS, and Sponsored Program Operations will be merged into one unit—Sponsored Programs Administration, under the direction of Donna Scuto. Additional support and oversight of technology and information systems will be provided by SPO/RF to CDHS. William Wieczorek and Kelly Marczynski will continue to oversee CDHS as part of the Institute for Community Health Promotion (ICHP) within Academic Affairs. A new part-time coordinator for pre-award outreach will assist with the development of new research opportunities, and will report to Mark Severson, special adviser to the provost for academic research initiatives. Economic development initiatives within the Research and Economic Development Office, directed by special adviser to the provost for economic development Susan McCartney, will be unchanged.

These changes should provide cohesiveness in our operations, eliminate duplication of effort across the units, provide opportunities for grant program development, enhance technical capacity, and streamline transaction processing.

I am pleased to announce the inaugural provost faculty fellows for the 2017–2018 academic year. Fifteen outstanding faculty members applied for the positions, and the projects proposed were all worthy of inclusion. This year’s faculty fellows are as follows:

• Carol DeNysschen, professor and chair of the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department, who will examine the use of e-portfolios for faculty promotion and tenure
• Kimberly Kline, professor and chair of the Higher Education Administration Department, who will work to develop a comprehensive student learning outcomes assessment for the campus
• Howard Reid, professor, and Jill Norvilitis, professor and chair, both of the Psychology Department, who submitted a combined proposal to examine the future of liberal arts on comprehensive campuses in light of an increasing emphasis on applied learning
• Kevin Williams, associate professor in the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department, who will address issues of campus identity and morale

Many thanks to all those who applied. The significant interest in this new program is further evidence of the commitment of Buffalo State faculty to transform the lives of our students. I look forward to working with this year’s faculty fellows and expanding the program in the future.

Effective June 1, 2017, the Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College will report to Academic Affairs under the leadership of Provost Melanie Perreault. This realignment places the Burchfield Penney with our other academic departments and centers on campus. This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary since the founding of the Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State, and we continue to applaud the growth and maturity of our BPAC. This new reporting structure will facilitate increased collaborations and synergies among faculty, students, and staff. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as the BPAC continues to embrace our mission as SUNY’s urban-engaged campus through its outreach and sharing of artistic, historical, and contemporary work with the broader community.

Pre-Commencement and Commencement activities are always exciting, and they always feel a bit bittersweet as the students we have supported and watched grow complete their final requirements and join the Buffalo State community for their Commencement day...

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

We are pleased to invite the campus community to attend presentations from the 2017 Fostering Innovation in Teaching with Technology (FITT) scholars on Friday, June 9, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

The FITT Academy is a weeklong, intensive, hands-on faculty development event sponsored by Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE) and is designed to foster a “community of practice” focused on advancing teaching with technology at Buffalo State. Please join us to learn more about the exciting and transformative accomplishments of FITT scholars and their shared experience.

2017 FITT Scholars and Projects

Carol DeNysschen, Chair and Professor, Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics
Project: Mobile Devices for Self-Assessment
Identify an interactive software for self-assessment in a classroom setting where students would apply learned medical nutrition therapy concepts in a setting outside of supervised practice.

Keli Garas-York, Associate Professor, Elementary Education and Reading
Project: Video for Reflection and Feedback
Create a means for literacy specialist candidates to view examples and securely upload videos of them assessing students and meeting with a parent for reflection and feedback through Ensemble.

Kyeonghi Baek, Associate Professor, Political Science
Project: Supplemental Instruction
Create open educational resources (OER) and original remedial and interactive web experiences that will help students succeed in political science statistics course.

Lynn Boorady, Chair and Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology
Project: Open Educational Resources
Identify or create OER materials to update and enhance a beginning fashion class in computer-aided design.

Pamela Schuetze-Pizarro, Professor, Psychology
Project: Videos for Instruction and Observation
Create videos to convey and demonstrate important concepts in the study of child development.

Jill Gradwell, Professor, History and Social Studies Education
Project: Hybrid Education
Develop a foundational understanding of the hybrid teaching method.

We are pleased to invite the campus community to attend presentations from the 2017 Fostering Innovation in Teaching with Technology (FITT) scholars today, June 9, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Technology Building 160.

The FITT Academy is a weeklong, intensive, hands-on faculty development event sponsored by Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE) and designed to foster a “community of practice” focused on advancing teaching with technology at Buffalo State. Please join us to learn more about the exciting and transformative accomplishments of FITT scholars and their shared experience.

2017 FITT Scholars and Projects

Carol DeNysschen, Chair and Professor, Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics
Project: Mobile Devices for Self-Assessment
Identify an interactive software for self-assessment in a classroom setting where students would apply learned medical nutrition therapy concepts in a setting outside of supervised practice.

Keli Garas-York, Associate Professor, Elementary Education and Reading
Project: Video for Reflection and Feedback
Create a means for literacy specialist candidates to view examples and securely upload videos of them assessing students and meeting with a parent for reflection and feedback through Ensemble.

Kyeonghi Baek, Associate Professor, Political Science
Project: Supplemental Instruction
Create open educational resources (OER) and original remedial and interactive web experiences that will help students succeed in political science statistics course.

Lynn Boorady, Chair and Professor, Fashion Textile Technology
Project: Open Educational Resources
Identify or create OER materials to update and enhance a beginning fashion class in computer-aided design.

Pamela Schuetze-Pizarro, Professor, Psychology
Project: Videos for Instruction and Observation
Create videos to convey and demonstrate important concepts in the study of child development.

Jill Gradwell, Professor, History and Social Studies Education
Project: Hybrid Education
Develop a foundational understanding of the hybrid teaching method.