I am pleased to announce the membership of the 2018–2019 Buffalo State College Commencement Committee:

Chair: Lorna Pérez, Associate Professor, English
Vice Chair: Theresa Janczak, Associate Professor, Exceptional Education
Immediate Past Chair: Elisa Bergslien, Associate Professor, Earth Sciences and Science Education
Secretary: Jean Salisbury, Academic Affairs

Patricia Alessandra, Commencement Director for Academics, Academic Affairs
Catherine Cardina, Associate Professor, Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics
Mark Filsinger, Assistant Professor, Music
Marnie Letzelter, Assistant to the Dean, Graduate School
Ashley Goodwin, Assistant Director, Student Leadership and Engagement
Michael Lewis, Director, Events Management
Camilo Maldonado III, Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathology
Alexander Nazarenko, Associate Professor, Chemistry
Michael Niman, Professor, Communication
Crystal Rodriguez, Chief of Staff, President’s Office
Ramona Santa Maria, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems
Suparna Soni, Assistant Professor, Political Science
Sherri Weber, Assistant Professor, Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership
Rita Zientek, Associate Dean, School of the Professions

Undergraduate Students: Makai Burks, Lakeram Jairam, Brianna Marciniak, and Mia Mushington
Graduate Student: Ray Wagner

The Commencement Committee is responsible for advising the president, the provost, and other appropriate college administrators on matters pertaining to Commencement; planning and implementing Commencement ceremonies and related events; submitting  proposed actions and changes of a substantive nature to the president for his or her consideration; disseminating information about Commencement throughout the institution to appropriate departments and other interested constituents; and making recommendations to the president for Commencement speakers, if necessary. Members of the committee serve as institutional advocates and champions for Commencement activities.

It was a totally enjoyable experience to attend the 19th annual Faculty and Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum on Thursday...

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I am pleased to announce the membership of the 2018–2019 President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity

Co-Chair: KeunYoung Oh, Chair and Associate Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology
Co-Chair: Holly Quicksey, Director, Educational Pipeline Initiatives

Katherine Bertel, Academic Outreach and Engagement Librarian, Butler Library
Atta Ceesay, Assistant Professor, Political Science
Mary Codick, Secretary I, Teacher Certification
Eve Everette, Assistant Director, Anne Frank Project
Marlon “Shashi” Gayadeen, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice
Ruth Goldman, Assistant Professor, Communication
Kristen Helling, Student Resource Coordinator, Dean of Students Office
Carlos Jones, Associate Dean, Arts and Humanities
Eric “Luke” Krieg, Interim Associate Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness Office
Paula Madrigal, Assistant Director, Prevention and Health Promotions
Lisa Morrison-Fronckowiak, Director, Student Accessibility Services
Roswell Park, Director, Individualized Studies Program
Amy Pedlow, Assistant Chief of Police, University Police
Celestine Simmons, Secretary 1, Muriel A. Howard Honors Program
Jean Strait, Associate Vice President, Buffalo State Educational Pipeline Initiatives
Vida Vanchan, Associate Professor, Geography and Planning
Jeff Ventura, Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Information, Intercollegiate Athletics
Jing Zhang, Associate Professor, Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership

Student: Keyshawn Blakes

Administrative Liaison: Karen Clinton Jones, Chief Diversity Officer

The President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity was established in 1996 at Buffalo State College to address discrimination, harassment, and campus climate issues as they relate to recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff; curriculum development; and student life on campus. The president receives and reviews recommendations from the council. The chief diversity officer provides administrative support for the council.

The ache in my heart, and in the hearts of those across the globe who cherish the fundamental right of all individuals to live, love, and contribute freely to their communities, is raw today...

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I was a first-generation college student—the first in my family to complete my four-year and graduate degrees. Some of my other senior administrative colleagues, administrators, and faculty members across the campus (including our president) also identify as first-generation college students.

This year on November 8, institutions of higher education across the country have dedicated a day to recognize this group of students on college campuses. Organized by the Center for First-Generation Student Success, the 2018 First-Generation College Celebration is important, as being a first-gen student comes with its own set of experiences and potential challenges. My experience as a first-generation student included confusion on how to navigate the financial aid process, struggling to understand the importance of deeply engaging with academic content, and finding the right balance of studying and being active socially.

Though these challenges may also have been similar for my peers who were not first-generation, I didn’t have people in my family to ask how they navigated this process and these issues. I was fortunate to have peers who were hired to help students like me, and I learned several things by trial and error. I vividly remember the many times when I doubted whether I had made the right choice when deciding to attend college. I struggled with choosing a major, and with being confident about making it to graduation. I had big dreams and a family that loved and encouraged me, and these things, combined with peer support and faculty mentors, helped tremendously; however, I didn’t start college with advice from my family about the importance of getting to know faculty, or how office hours could be helpful in addressing any classroom struggles (as well as connecting to faculty to identify paths to graduate study).

The most important thing I learned as a first-generation student was to remind myself that I deserved to be in college, was capable of graduating, and that when I struggled, failure was not an end but a beginning to mastering something I did not yet fully understand (math and statistics presented many of those opportunities).

At Buffalo State College, your faculty and staff celebrate the status of all their students, including those who are first-generation. On November 8 and every day, Buffalo State is engaging in efforts to support and address the needs of first-generation students (including many similar to the ones I faced) and helping them continue on the path to success. So be proud of your accomplishments—today and every day. Know that we are here for you, and remember that you can do anything you set your mind to.

GO, FIRST-GENERATION BENGALS!

How I found my way to college is a story of leaping into uncharted territory. My generation was the first to venture into this unknown place...

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I am pleased to announce the membership of the Academic Calendar Committee. The charge of this committee is to produce and update an accurate five-year Academic Calendar to be reviewed and approved annually by the President’s Cabinet. This official committee replaces the role of the College Senate in coordinating this effort. The committee includes representatives from Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, and the College Senate. The registrar serves as the chair and convener of the committee.

Chair: Nigel Marriner, Registrar, Enrollment Management
Cynthia Fasla, Associate Registrar, Enrollment Management
Crystal Rodriguez, Chief of Staff, President’s Office
Arlesa Shephard, Associate Professor, Fashion and Textile Technology; Chair, Instruction and
Research Committee, College Senate
Amitra Wall, Associate Provost, Academic Affairs
Timothy Walsh, Associate Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Sarah Young, Dean of Students, Student Affairs

I am pleased to announce the following updates to the Buffalo State 150th Anniversary Planning Committee:

Co-chair: Timothy Gordon, Vice President for Student Affairs
Co-chair: George Hole, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, Philosophy

William Benfanti, Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Alumni Engagement, Institutional Advancement
Rebecca Catalano, Professional Development Assistant, Professional Development Center
Benjamin Christy, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities
Daniel DiLandro, Head of Archives and Special Collections, Butler Library
James Finnerty, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Thomas Koller, Senior Associate Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
Lisa Krieger, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Management
Richard Lee, Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Applied Science and Education
Christina Luke-Grace, Secretary I, Marketing and Communications
Joseph Marren, Chair of the College Senate; Professor of Communication
James Mayrose, Dean of the School of the Professions
Kevin Miller, Dean of the Graduate School
Carolyn Morris-Hunt, Chief Operating Officer, Burchfield Penney Art Center
Latrese Myers, Alumni Board Representative
Christine Parker, Alumna
Wendy Paterson, Dean of the School of Education
Douglas Reid, Lecturer, Creative Studies
Howard Reid, Former Chair of the College Senate; Professor of Psychology
Crystal Rodriguez, Chief of Staff, President’s Office
Mark Severson, Dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences
Timothy Walsh, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Rita Zientek, Associate Dean of the School of the Professions

Joseph Cicatello, President of United Students Government
Levearn Burks, Student Representative
Shantel Coleman, Student Representative

In 2021, Buffalo State will reach its 150th year of existence as an educational institution. The planning committee is charged with developing and coordinating activities in the coming years that will culminate with our Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2021. One hundred fifty years is an extraordinary achievement that will be marked by a proper celebration. As we look back over the years of teaching, scholarly and creative activities, and service to this community and beyond, we can be tremendously proud of our legacy and our contributions to our students, the city, and the region. I look forward to celebrating with the entire Buffalo State community in 2021!

I am pleased to announce that the division of Resources for Information, Technology, and Education (RITE) has been renamed Information Technology (IT), effective immediately.

The new name reflects industry best practice, better describes services provided by the division, and falls in line with SUNY’s organizational model for information technology operations.

All teams under Information Technology will retain their individual names (e.g., Enterprise Infrastructure Services, Technology Support Services), while the RITE Support Desk will now be called the IT Help Desk.

The call for proposals is now open for the 2019 NYS ACE Women's Network annual conference, to be held Thursday and Friday, April 4 and 5, in Cooperstown, New York. The submission deadline is Monday, December 3. This conference speaks to all women in higher education and promotes vibrant conversations between and among women across the state in an effort to promote change at our institutions, in our communities, and across the state.

This year’s conference theme is “Seize Your Brilliance: Opportunities Are Waiting.” Conference organizers are seeking presentations, abstracts, papers, symposiums, workshops, cases, panels, and interactive roundtable topics that represent the best contemporary thinking about women and leadership from a diverse range of perspectives.

Proposals should include the following:

• Presentation title
• Presenter(s) information (name, title, brief bio)
• Presentation description (no more than 250 words)
• Learning outcome(s)
• Time requested for the presentation (e.g., 45 minutes maximum)
• Presentation format (e.g., presentation, abstract, paper, symposium, workshop, case, panel, or  interactive roundtable topics)
• Other information reviewers should have
• AV needs

All proposals must be submitted via e-mail to nys.owehe@gmail.com.

For more information on the conference, please visit the NYS ACE Women's Network website.