As part of the continued assessment of our institutional organization, I have determined that our outstanding Precollegiate Programs currently reporting to Student Affairs are more effectively aligned with the other precollegiate programs in Academic Affairs.

I am pleased to announce that effective August 1, Precollegiate Programs will be reassigned to report to John Siskar, senior adviser for educational pipeline initiatives and director of the Center for Excellence in Urban and Rural Education (CEURE). The Precollegiate Programs unit, which comprises the Upward Bound, Liberty Partnerships, and STEP programs, will also be renamed the Precollegiate Academic Success Center under the leadership of Patrice Cathey, who will report to Dr. Siskar. It is expected that this alignment will allow the many outstanding precollegiate initiatives that Buffalo State College offers to build on each other to maximize their positive impact on the community.

We are excited to welcome all new faculty and staff members to the Buffalo State College community. New Faculty and Staff Orientation will begin with a breakfast on Tuesday, August 22, at 8:30 a.m. in the Science and Mathematics Complex atrium. All new faculty and staff members have been invited and are welcome to attend.

Orientation will focus on informing new employees of the college’s history, our core values, our mission, teaching and scholarship, community involvement opportunities, and campus policies. New faculty and staff members will also have an opportunity to meet campus constituents from different departments and divisions. It is strongly encouraged that all new employees attend orientation and that supervisors provide employees with the opportunity to participate.

Please contact Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development, with questions.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Maryruth Glogowski as interim officer in charge of the Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE) unit effective July 29, 2017. In this role, Ms. Glogowski will oversee and provide direction for the areas within RITE. She currently serves as the associate vice president for RITE operations and is responsible for supporting the chief information officer with budget, staffing, and policy issues. She also leads the team responsible for hardware purchasing and software licensing.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Glogowski was the associate vice president for library and instructional technology at Buffalo State, where she was responsible for the library archives, learning management systems, instructional design, audiovisual classroom support, photography, graphics, and television engineering and production.

She has served as chair of the SUNY Council of Library Directors and as chair and member of the board of directors of the Western New York Library Resources Council, and was, for several years, the state coordinator for the American Council on Education Women's Network in Higher Education.

She will maintain responsibility for her current duties in RITE as she takes on the additional role of interim officer in charge of RITE. Please join me in thanking Ms. Glogowski for accepting this vital role for the institution and for our students.

POLICY SUMMARY
The college does not discriminate against employees, applicants for employment, or students based on religion or national origin.

POLICY
Policy Statement
No person shall be expelled from or refused admission as a student to an institution of higher learning for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to register for or attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirements on a particular day or days.

Applicability
Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend or participate in classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.

Definitions
The term "religious belief" shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under Section 501 of the United States Code.

Responsibility
It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school because of his or her religious beliefs an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study, or work requirements that he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to said student such equivalent opportunity.

Procedure

• If registration, classes, examinations, or study or work requirements are held on Friday after 4:00 p.m. or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, or study or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practical to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, or study or work requirements held on other days.
• In effectuating the provisions of the Education Law, it is expected that faculty and the administrative officials will exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student for availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.
• Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative official to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institutions of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
• At Buffalo State College, we sharpen the mandate of the state and endorse the policy that the administering of evaluative examinations on Rosh Hashanah (sundown Wednesday, September 20, 2017, to sundown Friday, September 22, 2017), Yom Kippur (sunset Friday, September 29, 2017, to sunset Saturday, September 30, 2017), and Good Friday (March 30, 2018) will not be permitted.
• In addition, faculty and staff should be aware that Ramadan may be observed by people practicing Islam. During Ramadan, there are special obligations for fasting, prayer, and other religious observances for people practicing Islam.
• Ramadan in 2018 will start on Wednesday, May 16, and will continue for 30 days until Thursday, June 14. Note that in the Muslim calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Tuesday, May 15.

RELATED INFORMATION
Documents and Forms
SUNY Buffalo State Policy on Discrimination Based on Religion (PDF, 111 KB)

CONTACT INFORMATION
Equity and Campus Diversity Office, Cleveland Hall 415
1300 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222

REVISION HISTORY
Date of change: 05/11/2017
Brief description of edit: Updated 2017_18
Phone: (716) 878-6210
Fax: (716) 878-6234
Website: http://equity.buffalostate.edu
E-mail: eeoequity@buffalostate.edu
Date of change: 06/27/2017
Brief description of edit: Reformatted to standard template

APPROVAL
State University of New York Office of General Counsel

Charles Kenyon, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, has announced his retirement from Buffalo State College after many years of dedicated service. His retirement is effective immediately.

Dr. Kenyon’s articulation of a civil and caring community has provided an important framework for work within the Dean of Students Office. This framework will be important as we continue to address the complex needs of students. Please join me in extending best wishes to Dr. Kenyon for a wonderful retirement.

I am pleased to announce that Brian Dubenion, student retention specialist, will be the interim director of student life, reporting to the interim dean of students. His term begins immediately.

Mr. Dubenion has served in several positions at the college including complex director and assistant director of residence life for student success. He will lead the Student Life Office in its work across the institution to ensure continued successful momentum of its programs and services. During this appointment, Mr. Dubenion will be located in Campbell Student Union 400 and can be reached at 878-4631. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Dubenion on this appointment.

I am pleased to announce that Sarah Young, director of student life, will be the interim dean of students, reporting to the interim vice president for student affairs. Her term begins immediately.

Ms. Young brings a breadth of experience in higher education administration across multiple positions and institutions, including service as interim dean of students at her previous institution. The Student Life and Judicial Affairs offices will report to Ms. Young in her role as interim dean of students.

I look forward to working with Ms. Young as we focus on enhancements in our student conduct system to meet the complex needs of students at Buffalo State College. During this appointment, Ms. Young will be located in Campbell Student Union 311 and can be reached at 878-4618. Please join me in congratulating Ms. Young on this appointment.

As part of the ongoing institutional reorganization, I am pleased to announce the creation of a new Teaching and Learning Center. The center will be faculty led, faculty driven, and focused on student learning. It will help coordinate student learning initiatives across campus and support innovative teaching. It will also encourage efforts to engage faculty in their own scholarly and creative endeavors. Logistically, the faculty development office will be reassigned to Academic Affairs and combined with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Office to form the center. John Draeger will be the center’s first director. Dr. Draeger has served as SoTL director from 2009 to 2017 and also served as interim director of faculty development in 2016–2017. The change is effective immediately.

Fire alarm systems in all campus buildings are fully functional; they will detect any indication of fire and provide audible and visible notification to evacuate as normal. However, because of a fire alarm system update, systems in some buildings are not able to automatically alert University Police or the Buffalo Fire Department as they normally do.

This is a temporary disruption, and work is being done to correct this problem.  

Should you be in one of the affected buildings when a fire alarm sounds, please evacuate as normal. Once outside and a safe distance away, call University Police at (716) 878-6333 and inform them of the alarm. Signs have been posted at the entrances to affected buildings. University Police will increase patrols at these buildings for the duration of this impact, which is expected to be remedied later this week. 

The following buildings are currently affected by this issue: 

Buckham Hall
Clinton Center
Houston Gym
Moore Complex
Moot Hall
Neumann Hall
North Wing
Porter Hall
Sports Arena
Student Apartment Complex
Tower I
Tower II
Tower III
Tower IV

The assistant dean of conduct and community standards position is a 12-month position beginning September 4, 2017.

Job responsibilities include:

• Oversee the Student Conduct and Community Standards Office and the effective processing of all incidents reported to the office.
• Supervise and train the conduct hearing director, conduct officers, clerical and other staff members, and interns responsible for handling conduct cases.
• Oversee recruitment and training of hearing boards and advocates for their respective roles.
• Recommend policies and procedures needed to advance a more effective student conduct management system. 
• Develop methods for assessing and communicating the impact of the Student Conduct and Community Standards Office to the campus community.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications: Employee in Student Affairs at Buffalo State College. Preferred qualifications include conduct management experience. For full consideration, please submit a letter of interest (no more than two pages) and an updated résumé addressed to youngsm@buffalostate.edu by Monday, August 28.