As our efforts to realign campus programs to better support and serve our students continue, I am reassigning the College Opportunity Mentoring Program Achieving Student Success (COMPASS) to the Academic Affairs division, effective July 1, 2017. This new reporting structure will not change the responsibilities or duties carried out by COMPASS. We believe this change will enhance the program’s commendable efforts with serving its specific student population. As we continue to move forward with administrative reorganizations, we remain committed to the total success of all our students and the full realization of their individual potential.

At its May 12, 2017, meeting, the College Senate voted to recommend to the president the following revisions to the DOPS policies indicated below:

• Dual Baccalaureate Degrees (I:01:03)
• Second Major, Single Degree (I:06:01)
• Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor (I:08:00)
• Proposals for Minors (IV:05:00)

DOPS Revisions: Dual Baccalaureate Degrees; Second Major, Single Degree; Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor; Proposals for Minors
Introduced at the April 2017 Senate meeting by the Standards for Students Committee

WHEREAS, SUNY does not have policies related to dual baccalaureate degrees, second majors with single degrees, or proposals for minors, nor does the State Education Department review minors; and

WHEREAS, the Standards for Students Committee was asked by the provost at the end of spring 2016 to review the credit overlap elements of the Second Major, Single Degree DOPS policy (I:06:01); and

WHEREAS, the Academic Standards Office has received numerous inquiries related to credit overlap and issues related to the Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor DOPS policy (I:08:00) and the Proposals for Minors DOPS policy (IV:05:00); and

WHEREAS, there is lack of coherence among the credit overlap requirements of the Dual Baccalaureate Degrees DOPS policy (I:01:03), the Second Major, Single Degree policy, and the Proposals for Minors policy that results in uneven academic integrity for individual programs and Buffalo State degrees; and

WHEREAS, our current policy that requires 152 credit hours for a dual degree and our policies that fail to require a specific number of distinct credits for dual baccalaureate degrees and for second majors with single degrees are inconsistent with similar policies in effect at other SUNY institutions; and

WHEREAS, the lack of specificity about permissible levels of credit overlap in these policies creates ambiguity in policy interpretation that leads to difficulties in academic advisement, course selection, and degree conferral,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State amend its DOPS policies on Dual Baccalaureate Degrees; Second Major, Single Degree; Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor; and Proposal for Minors as revised* in this document to create coherency among these policies and to assist with accurate academic advisement with the intent to improve students’ timely graduation in these programs that enhance the value of a Buffalo State degree.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the college catalog be updated to ensure that DOPS language is consistently reflected in the catalog for these policies.

*(Revisions to current policy are noted in the text that follows.)

DOPS Policy Number: I:01:03  (with recommended changes)
Date: Updated February 2009
Subject: Dual Baccalaureate Degrees

The awarding of two degrees at the baccalaureate level may occur under given circumstances. The fulfillment of requirements for two baccalaureate degrees (B.S. or B.A. or both) may be undertaken simultaneously or concurrently but requires significant additional coursework (at least 30 credit hours, usually one additional year) in distinctly different fields with at least 15 distinct upper-division credits (i.e., not overlap with primary major requirements or overlap with the requirements of a minor or concentrations). The exception to this requirement is the bachelor of fine arts, in which two degrees may be awarded upon the fulfillment of the requirements of each degree. Students must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours to qualify for two baccalaureate degrees. The maximum number of degrees awarded at the baccalaureate level is two.

Students opting for a dual degree should contact the departments involved, request a review of their progress and academic advice concerning the second degree, and complete a Change Major/Minor/Concentration form to be filed with the Registrar’s Office. Students pursuing dual baccalaureate degrees should seek academic advisement from the appropriate faculty advisers or department chairs in both majors to ensure that all dual degree requirements will be fulfilled.

DOPS Policy Number: I:06:01 (with recommended changes)
Date: Updated February 2009
Subject: Second Major, Single Degree

A student may fulfill the requirements for two majors and receive a designation on the official transcript indicating the completion of a baccalaureate degree in one major with the fulfillment of requirements of a distinctly different second major. The second major must include at least 15 distinct upper-division credits (i.e., not overlap with primary major requirements or overlap with the requirements of a minor or concentrations). Upon conferral of the degree, the student’s transcript will contain two entries: the major degree and a notation that “this student has also completed all requirements for a second major in the appropriate area.”

The student must use the Application for Undergraduate Degree to identify a primary major in which the degree will be awarded and the second major that will be completed. Students opting for a second major should contact the department involved, request a review of their progress and academic advice concerning the second major, and complete a Change Major/Minor/Concentration form to be filed with the Registrar’s Office. The student’s primary major adviser conducts regular advisement of the student. Only one baccalaureate degree may be awarded for a four-year, 120-credit-hour program.

DOPS Policy Number: I:08:00 (with recommended changes)
Updated: December 2016
Subject: Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor

Buffalo State College academic minors are specifically conceived sequences of courses designed to allow students to achieve important goals. A minor may be used to complement the major course of study, broaden and enhance career opportunities, gain expertise in an area of interdisciplinary studies, or provide in-depth study in a subject of special interest. While an academic minor is an optional study program, students often find it an excellent way to make strategic use of all college elective courses.

Each minor program consists of 18–21 credit hours of coursework. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for admission to a minor program, and at least three of the courses in each minor must be completed at the college. A minor must include at least 9 distinct credits (i.e., not overlap with primary major requirements or overlap with the requirements of a minor or concentrations). A minor may include no more than half of its credit hours at the lower-division level. A maximum of three courses of transfer credit will be permitted. Students may declare up to two minors Students who complete the minor with a minimum GPA of 2.0 will have the minor recorded on their official transcript.

Only matriculated students who intend to seek an undergraduate degree may be accepted into a minor program. Students interested in selecting a minor program should contact the coordinating department as soon as possible and complete a Change Major/Minor/Concentration form. A listing of all minors and requirements is on file in each department and dean’s office. Only the coordinating department provides advisement on individual minors.

For information regarding the development of a proposal for an academic minor, please refer to the Directory of Policy Statements, Section IV:05:00.

DOPS Policy Number: IV:05:00 (with recommended changes)
Revised: Spring 2015
Subject: Proposals for Minors (Relevant excerpts)

Requirements of Minors
According to college policy, each minor program developed and approved must conform to the following guidelines:

1. A minor may not be taken from the same discipline as a student’s major program.
2. A 2.0 minimum cumulative grade point average is required for admission to a minor program.
3. A minor shall consist of no fewer than 18 and no more than 21 credit hours of coursework.
4. A minor must include at least 9 distinct credits (i.e., not overlap with primary major requirements or overlap with the requirements of a minor or concentrations).
5. A minor may include no more than half of its credit hours at the lower-division level.
6. A maximum of three courses of transfer credit will be permitted.
7. Students may declare up to two minors.
8. The minor program must include all course prerequisites.
9. Exceptions to these minor proposal requirements must be requested through the College Senate Curriculum Committee with appropriate justifications provided. Student exceptions to any minor program requirements may be petitioned through the Academic Appeals Committee with appropriate justifications provided.
10. Faculty, through their departments and programs, will define disciplinary individualities. An academic minor at Buffalo State is an optional program of study available to undergraduate students and may not be required for graduation from any degree program. A minor may be used to complement the major course of study, broaden and enhance career opportunities, gain expertise in an area of interdisciplinary studies, or provide in-depth study in a subject of special interest.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate with regard to the revisions in the following DOPS policies:

• Dual Baccalaureate Degree
• Second Major, Single Degree
• Student Eligibility for an Academic Minor
• Proposals for Minors.

I charge the provost with the responsibility for overseeing the implementation of these revisions effective with the fall 2017 semester.

At its May 12, 2017, meeting, the College Senate voted to recommend to the president the following revision to the Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy:

Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy
Introduced at the April 2017 Senate meeting by Instruction and Research Committee

BE IT RESOLVED that the College Senate recommend that Buffalo State adopt the following revised Graduate Thesis/Project Policy to take effect in fall 2017:

• Graduate students who do not complete their capstone thesis or project requirement by the end of the term in which they have registered will receive an IP grade on their transcript.
• Once a graduate student (a) has registered for the maximum number of credits included in their graduate program’s standard curriculum,* (b) has received an IP grade in the required thesis or project course(s), and (c) has not completed the thesis or project requirement after two additional semesters have elapsed (not including summer or J-term), the student must register for 722 Thesis/Project Extended (non-credit-bearing but billable for 1 credit at existing graduate tuition rates) for each fall and spring semester until the thesis or project has been completed. If the student does not register for the 722 course, he or she will become an inactive student and will have to reapply for admission to the Graduate School and pay all other appropriate fees before the capstone project or thesis can be completed. Reapplication must be made in accordance with the established deadline dates and current admission requirements.
• 722 courses will receive a grade of NR.
• Once a student has completed the thesis or project, the IP grade(s) will be changed to the appropriate grade.

* A list of credits required in each graduate program will be created and reviewed by the academic departments. This list will be maintained and updated as necessary by the Graduate School.

I hereby approve the changes to the Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy as recommended by the College Senate. I charge the provost with the responsibility for overseeing the implementation effective with the fall 2017 semester.

At its May 12, 2017, meeting, the College Senate voted to recommend to the president that an acknowledgment deadline for matriculating undergraduate students be established as outlined in the following resolution:

Resolution to Establish an Acknowledgment Deadline for Matriculating Undergraduate Students
Introduced at the April 2017 Senate meeting by the Standards for Students Committee

WHEREAS, the college currently has a May 1 deadline for students to acknowledge¹ their acceptance,² but it is not enforced; and

WHEREAS, matriculating³ undergraduate students must acknowledge with sufficient lead time for the semester to allow for course selection that supports timely graduation, better campus housing availability, the processing of health insurance waivers, the completion of requirements for financial aid packaging (including book deferments), the purchase of course materials before the start of classes; and attendance of classes on the first day of the semester; and

WHEREAS, students who acknowledge late and who have high-demand majors may not be able to register for classes in their majors or fulfill degree requirements that allow them to make progress toward timely graduation or meet academic eligibility requirements for financial aid; and

WHEREAS, there is a considerable time commitment made by staff and faculty members to process and advise students who acknowledge late, yet these students are retained from fall to spring at a much lower rate compared with students who acknowledge earlier,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State College adopt the following policy defining an acknowledgment deadline of two weeks before the first day of classes for the semester; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that students who apply or are eligible for acceptance after this date will be notified that their admission will be deferred to the following semester; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these changes will be reviewed in two years to determine the effects on retention and graduation.

1. Acknowledge – when a student accepts the college’s offer of admission
2. Acceptance – when the college accepts a student’s application to the institution
3. Matriculating – accepted by the college to pursue a degree even though the student may not have selected a specific academic program

I thank the members of the College Senate for their detailed review and ultimate recommendation regarding acknowledgment deadlines for accepted students. At this time I am not approving any changes to the policy, procedure, or practices on this issue. The campus continues to put additional strategies and processes in place to encourage early acknowledgment by students. It is premature to revise the policies, procedures, and practices currently in place. We will, however, continue to shape the behavior of our students to move toward the May-June norm for students entering campus.

The Erie County Commission on the Status of Women will host the 47th annual conference of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW) in Buffalo July 12–16. Members of state, city, and county commissions throughout the United States will convene to share best practices, receive updates on current legislation and public policy affecting women, and collaborate on addressing economic inequality and other issues affecting women and girls.

The theme, Embracing Our Past, Empowering Our Future (PDF, 1.6 MB), is a perfect way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New York state.

The conference will include a Girls Summit on Saturday, July 15, focusing on social, political, and economic empowerment. We are actively recruiting middle school– and high school–age girls to attend. Scholarships are available.

Please consider the opportunity to attend the NACW national conference, and please disseminate this information to your colleagues. I hope you will join us.

For more information or to register, please visit the NACW conference website.

Starting Wednesday, July 5, Carmela Thompson, director of admissions, will assume a new position in the Graduate School as assistant dean for recruitment and marketing, reporting directly to the interim dean.

As a member of the senior team, she will provide expertise and leadership for the Graduate School’s strategic plan. In her new role, she will oversee the implementation of a customer relationship management (CRM) system and be responsible for recruiting and marketing to current Buffalo State undergraduate students. Please join me in thanking Dr. Thompson for her dedicated service to undergraduate admissions and offering well wishes for continued success in her new position.

Erin Alonzo, associate vice president for enrollment management, will serve as interim director of undergraduate admissions while a search is conducted for the next director. The search will commence this summer with an expected hire date later this calendar year.

Dean Reinhart, associate director of undergraduate admissions, will continue to serve in a leadership role in the Admissions Office, but his election as UUP chapter president and consequent 50 percent release time will require some of his duties to be temporarily reassigned. Dr. Reinhart will remain a supervisor for the first-year admissions team while welcoming staff from the New York City regional admissions office and the assistant director of international admissions to this team.

These structural changes are part of a larger reorganization of the undergraduate Admissions Office that will take place over the next several months.

David Demers, CIO and vice president for enrollment, marketing, and communications, is leaving Buffalo State effective July 28, 2017, to accept the position of CIO for the University of Maine System.

In his short time with the Buffalo State community, Dr. Demers has made tremendous strides to further our collective work. His reorganization and strategic planning within RITE has put Buffalo State in a favorable and effective direction to utilize and implement appropriate and contemporary technological solutions. He has led his newly acquired areas within enrollment management and communication in ways that have leveraged their strengths, enhanced collaboration, and set a roadmap for our future directions.

Dr. Demers has been an outstanding innovator and a dedicated leader. Although his leadership will be deeply missed, we send our best wishes for his future success.

Please join me in expressing my appreciation for the time he has committed to Buffalo State.

I will announce the interim leadership for areas currently under Dr. Demers's supervision in the upcoming days.

Theresa Stephan Hains, director of the Weigel Health Center, is retiring after 26 years of outstanding service at Buffalo State College.

Dr. Stephan Hains was the medical director from 1992 to 1994, when she was promoted to director of the Weigel Health Center. In her 26 years at Buffalo State, Dr. Stephan Hains has made it the center's top priority to provide high-quality medical care to our diverse student population. This care includes the peer education and health promotions programs.  

During Dr. Stephan Hains's tenure, the center achieved accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and has maintained this accreditation for the past 12 years.  

Please join me in extending best wishes to Dr. Stephan Hains for a wonderful retirement; her last day will be Monday, August 21.

I am pleased to announce that the Residential Dining Hall has been renamed the Bengal Kitchen. The new name promotes an inclusive dining experience, an experience for the entire campus community: residential students, commuter students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors. Anyone can eat at the Bengal Kitchen. The campus community should see the name change outside the Bengal Kitchen, in updated Chartwells’ employee titles, and on all communication materials moving forward.

Please ensure that all communication materials are updated with the new name when referring to the Bengal Kitchen. Thank you for your participation.

During the spring 2017 semester, the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) reviewed the college’s health and counseling programs and recommended moving toward a system of single administrative oversight for their operation. Following approval of that recommendation, I am pleased to announce the merger of the Weigel Health Center and the Counseling Center into a new operation called the Weigel Wellness Center. This change, effective August 22, 2017, conveys a focus on wellness that includes both the physical and mental health services provided within the Health Center building. This name change is also consistent with the recommendation of the SHAC.

I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Rock Doyle as assistant vice president for health and wellness. Mr. Doyle will be responsible for providing visionary and strategic leadership for a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to student health and wellness, including administrative leadership for student health and counseling services.

Mr. Doyle has served as associate director of medical systems and technology coordinator and as medical systems specialist throughout his nearly 20-year tenure at Buffalo State College. He has also worked for the Hemophilia Center of Western New York, where he developed policies and procedures for its clinics in both Women and Children’s Hospital and ECMC. Additionally, he was the accreditation project leader for all seven MASH Urgent Care Centers in Western New York, responsible for seeing that organization through its accreditation by the Joint Commission, the gold standard of health-care accreditations.

This new wellness administrative structure represents a more streamlined administration and provides a more integrated, holistic wellness approach to health care for students at Buffalo State.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Doyle on his new appointment and his leadership of our holistic center for health and wellness.