Applications are encouraged for the December round of the President's Professional Development Award. President Conway-Turner has dedicating funding to establish the award and has convened a Professional Development Award Committee of faculty and staff members to support professional development opportunities for Buffalo State employees.

Professional development opportunities enrich the experiences of all employees. These opportunities allow us to build on our expertise as well as identify best practices and network with others. While it is well understood that professional development opportunities are critical to our success, funding is sometimes limited or otherwise unavailable.

Applications for the President's Professional Development Award must be completed and submitted electronically. Please submit applications by Monday, December 3. The committee will review requests for funding and determine awards monthly. Award recipients will be announced in the Daily Bulletin.

Award Selection Criteria

1. Applicants must have a statement of support from their director, department chair, or dean, as well as the organizational VP or chief diversity officer.
2. Applicants must have at least one calendar year of employment at Buffalo State.
3. Applicants must complete the award application and include

   a. a summary of how the award affects the campus and ties to the college’s strategic plan (identify which measure);

   b. a summary or itemization of other funds received or requested from the department or other area;

   c. a conference announcement (please provide name, date, and location of conference; include conference website, agenda, and whether you are presenting or attending an organization-affiliated meeting).

Award Recipient Selection Process and Timeline

1. All award nominations must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on the first business day of each month (November 1 and December 3, 2018). Request for professional development funds received after the first business day of the month will be reviewed with the following month’s award requests.
    
2. Award recipients will be selected by the President’s Professional Development Award Committee using the following process:

   a. A rubric reflecting the selection criteria will be used to award funding. The selection and award of funding will be based on the thoroughness in addressing the award selection criteria.

   b. The committee will review and award funding.
    

3. Award applicants will be informed if their requests were selected for funding. The maximum allowable award is $500 per applicant, per calendar year. The award recipients for each month will be selected by the President’s Professional Development Award Committee and announced in the Daily Bulletin by President Conway-Turner.

Applications are encouraged for the December round of the President's Professional Development Award. President Conway-Turner has dedicating funding to establish the award and has convened a Professional Development Award Committee of faculty and staff members to support professional development opportunities for Buffalo State employees.

Professional development opportunities enrich the experiences of all employees. These opportunities allow us to build on our expertise as well as identify best practices and network with others. While it is well understood that professional development opportunities are critical to our success, funding is sometimes limited or otherwise unavailable.

Applications for the President's Professional Development Award must be completed and submitted electronically. Please submit applications by Monday, December 3. The committee will review requests for funding and determine awards monthly. Award recipients will be announced in the Daily Bulletin.

Award Selection Criteria

1. Applicants must have a statement of support from their director, department chair, or dean, as well as the organizational VP or chief diversity officer.
2. Applicants must have at least one calendar year of employment at Buffalo State.
3. Applicants must complete the award application and include

   a. a summary of how the award affects the campus and ties to the college’s strategic plan (identify which measure);

   b. a summary or itemization of other funds received or requested from the department or other area;

   c. a conference announcement (please provide name, date, and location of conference; include conference website, agenda, and whether you are presenting or attending an organization-affiliated meeting).

Award Recipient Selection Process and Timeline

1. All award nominations must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on the first business day of each month (November 1 and December 3, 2018). Request for professional development funds received after the first business day of the month will be reviewed with the following month’s award requests.
    
2. Award recipients will be selected by the President’s Professional Development Award Committee using the following process:

   a. A rubric reflecting the selection criteria will be used to award funding. The selection and award of funding will be based on the thoroughness in addressing the award selection criteria.

   b. The committee will review and award funding.
    

3. Award applicants will be informed if their requests were selected for funding. The maximum allowable award is $500 per applicant, per calendar year. The award recipients for each month will be selected by the President’s Professional Development Award Committee and announced in the Daily Bulletin by President Conway-Turner.

The Equity and Campus Diversity Office, the Communication Department, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center are pleased to announce the screening of The Unafraid, the next film in the Beyond Boundaries: Dare to Be Diverse screening and discussion series for fall 2018, on Thursday, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium.

The feature-length documentary follows the personal lives of three DACA students in Georgia, a state that has banned them from attending its top state universities and disqualifies them from receiving in-state tuition at any other public college. Shot in an observational style over a period of four years, this film takes an intimate look at the lives of Alejandro, Silvia, and Aldo as they navigate activism, pursuing their right to education, and fighting for the rights of their families and communities.

The Unafraid shows what it means to grow up both American and undocumented in the United States.

Watch the trailer.

I am pleased to announce that Robert Hudson, academic adviser in the Academic Commons, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award. Mr. Hudson was nominated for the award by Aimee Woznick, director of the Academic Commons; Sara Reese, assistant director of academic advising; and Roswell Park, director of individualized studies. I am so pleased to recognize Mr. Hudson, and I encourage the entire campus community to join me in thanking him for his exceptional effort to make Buffalo State a great place to live, learn, and work. His award profile can be viewed on the Professional Development website.

The President's Caring Bengal Award, initiated in December 2017, recognizes supportive colleagues in our Buffalo State community who not only transform the lives of our students but also help create a caring and collegial environment for our faculty, staff, and administrators.

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the President's Caring Bengal Award by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, November 1. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the following student awards:

President’s Medal for Outstanding Undergraduate and Graduate Student
One undergraduate student and one graduate student will be awarded the President’s Medal. The President’s Medal is the highest honor awarded to a student by Buffalo State College. This award is given to a student who, through use of his or her natural talents and acquired skills, has demonstrated a commitment toward meeting the goals of higher education as set forth in the university’s mission statement. The recipients will deliver the student address at Commencement. A grade point average of at least 3.5 is required for consideration for this award. Only students graduating in December 2018, May 2019, or August 2019 will be considered.*

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
The Chancellor’s Award is the highest honor bestowed by SUNY upon a student. This award recognizes model students who have integrated academic excellence with achievement in areas such as athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, entrepreneurship, leadership, and career achievement. Although there is no prescribed grade point average for this award, it is assumed that recipients will have high academic achievement. Award recipients will be recognized at a spring ceremony in Albany and at Commencement. Only students graduating between June 2018 and May 2019 will be considered.*

Nominations are being sought for both awards. Students must be nominated by a faculty or staff member at Buffalo State College. Candidates must have demonstrated the qualities recognized by each award. Selection criteria are similar for each award; however, to be considered for the President’s Medal, a grade point average of 3.5 or higher is required. A student may be nominated for either or both awards.

Selection Criteria for Both Awards
Academic Performance: Documented via grade point average, honors received, rank in class, research, and other scholarly projects.

Citizenship: As measured by university and community service, the quality of extracurricular activities, and/or involvement in professional organizations.

Leadership and Creativity: Documented local, state, national, or international recognition for excellence (e.g., recipient of major national scholarships or athletic awards, or recognition by national and international associations and honor societies).

For graduate students: documented activities related to the discipline of graduate degree program or other university service leadership in a professional organization, or community outreach activities related to the field of study.

More information and nomination materials are available on the Student Leadership and Engagement website.

Nominations and supporting documentation must be delivered to the Student Affairs Office, Cleveland Hall 513, by 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 17.

Those with questions or concerns regarding the application process are encouraged to contact Kathy Marzolf, secretary 2, 878-4704.

*Information will be verified with the Registrar's Office.

The fall 2018 Banner midterm grading window has been open since 9:00 a.m. Monday, October 8, and will close at 9:00 p.m. Friday, October 26. Please note that the Academic Standards Office no longer sends out paper rosters to encourage midterm grading; rather, I am encouraging faculty members to enter midterm grades for all students this semester. In addition to entering an estimated midterm grade, faculty members can mark how regularly a student has attended a course by entering 0 (never attended), 1 (sporadic, unsatisfactory attendance), or 2 (consistent, satisfactory attendance) in the “Hours Attended” field. Students will be able to view their grades in Degree Works as the grades are entered, and advisers can use either Degree Works or copies of midterm grading reports that are available through their deans’ offices.

Thank you to all faculty members who entered midterm grades in Banner for the spring 2018 semester. Banner midterm grades allow advisers, department chairs, and associate deans to academically guide students before the pass/fail and course withdrawal deadline, if needed. Your early, regular, and ongoing feedback to the students in your courses—through Blackboard, the Bengal Success Portal (Starfish), in-class conferences, Banner midterm grades, and other ways—allows students to have a realistic picture of their standing in your courses that helps motivate them to act in ways that will improve their academic standing.

The campus community is invited to attend the 19th annual Faculty and Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum, today, October 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Houston Gym.

The Research and Creativity Council and the Academic Affairs Office, in conjunction with Sponsored Programs Operations, support the forum with the goal to develop, encourage, and support faculty and staff research and creativity and to make collaborative research endeavors and grantsmanship more accessible. A call for submissions was announced in the Daily Bulletin.

This is an excellent opportunity to connect with Buffalo State faculty and staff members to identify common scholarly and creative interests. With 80 unique presentations, this also is a tremendous opportunity to learn what colleagues across campus are investigating, the research methodologies being used, and insightful outcomes that are helping to shape our understanding of our communities and the world at large. You can preview the presentation abstracts in the online program (PDF, 2.6 MB) and also review the locations of presenters (PDF, 30 KB), all provided on the Fall Forum web page.

President Conway-Turner and I will offer welcoming remarks starting at 12:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided for all participants and attendees. The event is open to the campus community. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to review the college's emergency closings policy (PDF, 115 KB) and sign up for the Buff State Alert system to receive emergency notifications. If you have already signed up for Buff State Alert, please take a few moments to verify or update your contact information.

Because the weather in Western New York can vary greatly within just a few miles, there are times each winter when conditions on campus are favorable for classes to be held as scheduled, but some students, faculty, and staff members may experience difficulty traveling to campus. In those situations, students must communicate with their instructors, faculty with their students, and staff with their supervisors if they cannot travel to campus safely.

Students will not be penalized if they cannot attend classes because of severe weather but are responsible for making up any assignments, quizzes, or exams promptly, in consultation with the faculty. Students are responsible for the prompt completion of any alternative assignments. If an absence situation between a student and instructor cannot be resolved, an appeal should proceed sequentially to the department chair, dean, and finally the provost.

Faculty members who are unable to travel to campus are responsible for making alternative arrangements for their students. If a faculty member must cancel class(es), affected students should be notified via Blackboard and/or direct e-mail as soon as possible.

Staff members who are unable to travel to campus because of adverse weather conditions must communicate their absence to a supervisor and note the absence on their time records. Staff members must charge vacation or personal leave accruals for any weather-related absence.

I am pleased to announce the following administrative liaisons and presidential appointees to the College Senate for the 2018–2019 academic year:

Committee Chair: Joseph Marren, Professor, Communication; Chair, College Senate
Academic Plan: Melanie Perreault, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
Budget and Staff Allocations: James Thor, Associate Vice President, Finance and Management; Comptroller
Bylaws and Elections: William Benfanti, Associate Vice President, Government Relations and Alumni Engagement
Curriculum: Amitra Wall, Associate Provost; Ex Officio: Nigel Mariner, Registrar
Faculty and Staff Welfare: Susan Earshen, Associate Vice President, Human Resource Management
Instruction and Research: Wendy Paterson, Dean, School of Education
Standards for Students: Sarah Young, Dean of Students
Student Welfare: Rock Doyle, Assistant Vice President, Weigel Wellness Center
Presidential Appointee: James Mayrose, Dean, School of the Professions
Presidential Appointee: Mark Severson, Dean, School of Education

I am pleased to announce the following appointments to the 2018–2019 Committee on Undergraduate Retention:

Chair: Mark Severson, Dean, School of Natural and Social Sciences
Ex-Officio: Melanie Perreault, Provost

Maria Brickhouse, Coordinator, Academic Center for Excellence, Educational Opportunity Program
Anthony Chase, Assistant Dean, School of Arts and Humanities
Connie Cooke, Director, Financial Aid
Rock Doyle, Assistant Vice President, Weigel Wellness Center
John Draeger, Professor, Philosophy; Director, Teaching and Learning Center
James Finnerty, Vice President, Institutional Advancement
Yves Gachette, Director, Institutional Research
Timothy Gordon, Vice President for Student Affairs
Dwight Hennessy, Chair and Professor, Psychology
Jevon Hunter, Woods-Beals Endowed Chair, School of Education (Spring 2019)
Kimberly Kline, Professor, Higher Education Administration
Jacquelyn Malcolm, CIO and VP, Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications
Heather Maldonado, Assistant Provost, Academic Success
Amy McMillan, Professor, Biology
Angela Patti, Associate Professor, Exceptional Education (Fall 2018)
Jean Strait, Associate Vice President, Educational Pipeline Initiatives
Gregory Wadsworth, Associate Professor, Biology
Aimee Woznick, Director, Academic Commons
Sarah Young, Dean of Students, Student Affairs

The Committee on Undergraduate Retention provides recommendations to increase the persistence, retention, and graduation rates of undergraduate students.

The committee’s charge is as follows:

1. Review, gather, and interpret information from other institutions or external programs that can illuminate these concerns.
2. Investigate and review best practices that currently exist on the Buffalo State campus.
3. Review Buffalo State current information and quantitative data available related to this issue.
4. Gather new information or survey portions of the campus community to provide insight into this issue.
5. Develop recommendations that are relevant to all or selected portions of the campus student community.
6. Make recommendations on short-term and long-term goals related to higher persistence, retention, and graduation rates.
7. Submit proposals that address retention needs to the President’s Cabinet.
8. Report at the end of each semester (orally and in writing) on the state of undergraduate persistence, retention, and graduate rates and the impact of current or new programs to address these issues.
9. Advise the cabinet on the continuation, development, or elimination of programs that affect persistence, retention, and graduation rates.