All faculty annual reports for 2018–2019 will be submitted online via individual links that will be e-mailed directly to faculty members by Friday, February 15. The submission form has been created in Qualtrics and is managed by the Institutional Effectiveness Office.

Links are being provided at the start of the spring semester to allow faculty members more time to complete their reports and the option to submit their reports before the start of summer break. Unique links will permit faculty members to save their progress and return to the form at any time from any device. Once the form is submitted, faculty members can print or download (“print to PDF”) the completed report as a PDF. For an editable version of the submitted report, faculty members can either copy their responses to a Microsoft Word document or contact Tiffany Fuzak, research analyst, for an Excel Workbook version of their responses. 

Online faculty annual reports for 2018–2019 must be officially submitted by Sunday, June 30.

Please contact the Institutional Effectiveness Office, 878-5550, with questions.

Buffalo State College officially opened the Nutrition Education Counseling Center (NECC) on the second floor of Caudell Hall last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 5...

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

The Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Workshop Series is a four-part workshop series offered throughout the spring 2019 semester designed to enhance the multicultural competencies of faculty and staff. This series will provide a safe space and environment for staff and faculty to explore questions, perspectives, and experiences related to diversity and inclusion, as well as an opportunity to self-reflect on how to personally create a more inclusive climate for students and colleagues. Those who complete all four workshops in the series will receive a Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Certificate and will be recognized by the President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity. If you are interested in receiving the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate, please register for all four workshops listed below.

Inclusive Communication
Wednesday, February 27
Noon–3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Keith Jenkins, Ph.D., Vice President and Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion at the Rochester Institute of Technology

What Are Micro-Aggressions?
Tuesday, March 12
9:00 a.m.–Noon
Facilitator: Jean Strait, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Educational Pipeline Initiatives at Buffalo State College

Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
Wednesday, April 17
9:00–11:00 a.m.
Facilitator: Andrea Harden, M.B.A., President of Harden Training Partners

Understanding the Intersectionality of Identity
Tuesday, April 30
9:00 a.m.–Noon
Facilitators: Holly Quicksey, Ph.D., Director of Educational Pipeline Initiatives; and Carlos Jones, M.F.A., Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at Buffalo State College

Each workshop session will include an optional brown-bag lunch roundtable discussion at noon the week after the session is held to discuss what was learned, identify implications for Buffalo State College, and identify opportunities to support colleagues on the continuous journey of developing multicultural competence. Please note: The brown-bag lunches are optional and are not required to receive the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate. The opportunity to register for the brown-bag lunches will be provided at the conclusion of each workshop.

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

Instructional Design and Training, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Professional Development Center invite you to register for their spring 2019 workshops.

February

Bengal Success Portal (Starfish): Flags, Kudos, and Referrals
Tuesday, February 12; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Civic Engagement Webinar: What Went Wrong? A Partnership Analysis Framework
Thursday, February 14; 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
Tuesday, February 19; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Civic Engagement Webinar: Integrating Civic Outcomes Across a Major or Program
Tuesday, February 19; 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Just in Time for Reading: Helping Students Come to Class Prepared
Wednesday, February 20; 9:00–10:30 a.m.

Short-Term Study Abroad as Applied Learning
Thursday, February 21; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Using the OSCQR Rubric for Online Course Development
Thursday, February 21; 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Ensemble Video (Campus Media Server): Introduction and Demo
Monday, February 25; 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Catch Up on Sleep and Reduce Stress
Tuesday, February 26; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Metacognition for Writing: How Learning about Learning Can Promote Better Writing
Wednesday, February 27; Noon–1:30 p.m.

March

Ensemble Anthem: Screen, Webcam, and Audio Recordings from Your Desk
Friday, March 1; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Introduction to Microsoft Teams
Monday, March 4; 9:30–10:30 a.m.

Making Accessible Content: Word and PDF
Monday, March 4; 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Aromatherapy for Stress
Tuesday, March 5; 12:15–1:45 p.m.

Civic Engagement Webinar: Exploring the Connection: Community Engagement and College Completion
Tuesday, March 5; 3:00–4:00 p.m.

Electronic Course Evaluations: EvaluationKIT
Wednesday, March 6; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

How Do I Reach My Greatest Potential: A Strengths Approach to Achieving Personal Success
Thursday, March 7; Noon–3:00 p.m.

Ensemble Video Advanced
Monday, March 11; 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Darryl Tonemah: National Speaker on Fostering Resilience
Tuesday, March 12; 9:00–11:00 a.m.,1:00–3:00 p.m., and 4:30–6:30 p.m.

Strategic Plan for Life
Tuesday, March 12; 12:15–1:15 p.m.

Using Applied Learning to Develop Student Professional Behavior and Dispositions (Part 2 of a Two-Part Series) 
Wednesday, March 13; Noon–1:30 p.m.

Dealing with the Difficult
Thursday, March 14; 9:00 a.m.–Noon

Blackboard Learn 9.1: Grade Center
Thursday, March 14; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Electronic Course Evaluations: EvaluationKIT
Thursday, March 14; 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Ensemble Video Quizzes
Friday, March 15; 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Using the OSCQR Rubric for Online Course Development
Thursday, March 15; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Facilitating and Structuring Productive Committees, Meetings, and Work Groups
Wednesday, March 20; 9:00 a.m.–Noon

Designing a Research Project
Thursday, March 21; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Microsoft Forms for Easy Surveys
Friday, March 29; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

April

Managing an EvaluationKIT Project
Monday, April 1; 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Nourishing Your Personal and Professional Selves in a Changing Workplace
Tuesday, April 2; Noon–3:00 p.m.

Introducing the Fundamentals of Approved Applied Learning
Wednesday, April 3; 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Life After #MeToo: The Impact of Trauma on Applied Learning
Monday, April 8; Noon–2:00 p.m.

Stress and Emotional Eating
Tuesday, April 9; 9:00–10:30 a.m.

Using the OSCQR Rubric for Online Course Development
Tuesday, April 9; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Managing an EvaluationKIT Project
Thursday, April 11; 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Structured Reflection: Case Studies from the Field
Thursday, April 11, 2019 – 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Civic Engagement Webinar: Census 2020 and Higher Education
Tuesday, April 16; 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Fostering Institutional Collaboration: Mastering the Skills You Need to Successfully Collaborate
Thursday, April 18; 9:00 a.m.–Noon

An Introduction to the Institutional Review Board at Buffalo State
Thursday, April 18; 12:15–1:30 p.m.

Blackboard Ally
Thursday, April 18; 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Microsoft Flow for Automating Your Workflows
Monday, April 22; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Managing Up and Across the College: Cultivating Productive Partnerships with Your Supervisor and Peers
Tuesday, April 23; 9:00–11:00 a.m.

Turnitin: Plagiarism Software
Thursday, April 25; 11:00 a.m.–Noon

Blackboard Ally
Friday, April 26; 9:30–10:30 a.m.

Blackboard Ally
Tuesday, April 30; 2:00–3:00 p.m.

May

Blackboard Learn 9.1: Grade Center
Wednesday, May 1; 10:00–11:00 a.m.

I encourage all faculty, staff, and administrators to take part in relevant professional development workshops and programs offered by Instructional Design and Training, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Professional Development Center. We have created this calendar of events (PDF, 160 KB) as a central source of information for trainings, workshops, presentations, and other opportunities for professional development on campus during the spring 2019 semester. Please bookmark the calendar and check it periodically throughout the semester. Individual events will also continue to be announced in the Daily Bulletin.

I encourage all faculty, staff, and administrators to take part in relevant professional development workshops and programs offered by Instructional Design and Training, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Professional Development Center. We have created this calendar of events (PDF, 160 KB) as a central source of information for trainings, workshops, presentations, and other opportunities for professional development on campus during the spring 2019 semester. Please bookmark the calendar and check it periodically throughout the semester. Individual events will also continue to be announced in the Daily Bulletin.

At its February 8, 2019, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a resolution on a new DOPS Policy on Upper-Division Criteria for Graduate-Level Courses, to be implemented as follows:

WHEREAS, there is no current policy for determining and distinguishing graduate-level course criteria; and

WHEREAS, the current policy regarding the development of new courses suggests graduate courses should simply be consulted upon with the dean of the Graduate School; and

WHEREAS, the Graduate School and the Graduate Advisory Committee believe it would be beneficial to establish standards of continuity in establishing graduate-level course naming and sequencing,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State adopt a new DOPS policy on Upper-Division Criteria for Graduate-Level Courses as proposed in this document; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this policy go into effect beginning with the 2019–2020 academic year for all new and revised course proposals submitted to the College Senate Curriculum Committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the college catalog and college website be updated to ensure that DOPS language be consistently reflected in the catalog and on the website for this policy.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: 15:01 (NEW Policy)
Subject: Upper-Division Criteria for Graduate-Level Courses

Guidelines listed below have been established for the designation of upper-division graduate courses. The guidelines should be used when creating new courses and when revising existing courses. The College Senate Curriculum Committee will use the guidelines in the approval process for graduate courses.

A course that has upper-division designation (600 or 700 level) reflects evidence of at least two of the following criteria:

1. Prerequisite course or instructor permission
2. Course content, assessment, and learning outcomes demonstrating evidence of greater focus or depth in the content than 500-level graduate courses
3. Course content, assessment, and learning outcomes targeting a higher order of critical thinking (greater application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of subject) than 500-level graduate courses

Course numbers indicate the level of the course and restrictions as follows:

500–599: Introductory or survey graduate courses (knowledge, understanding, and application of subject)

600–699: Courses that go beyond introductory level and involve in-depth study of a subject at the graduate level and that usually have prerequisites

700–799: Courses designed for and restricted to students matriculated in the departments’ degree or certificate programs

Note: The catalog provides that all master’s degree programs require completion of a minimum of 15 credit hours of 600- or 700-level coursework.

I hereby approve the resolution on the new DOPS Policy on Upper-Division Criteria for Graduate-Level Courses and authorize immediate implementation of the policy. I charge the provost with the responsibility for overseeing and ensuring implementation and communication of the revised policy to all appropriate constituents.

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the President’s Professional Development Award by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 1. Please visit the award website for more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination.

Award Description
Professional development opportunities enrich the experiences of all employees. These opportunities allow us to build on our expertise, 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 not available. To support these efforts, President Conway-Turner has dedicated funding to professional development opportunities for Buffalo State campus employees. She has also convened a committee of faculty and staff members who will review the requests for funding and determine the award recipient each month to support professional development opportunities for Buffalo State campus employees.

Please contact Rebecca Catalano, staff assistant in the Professional Development Center, with questions about the President’s Professional Development Award.

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the President’s Caring Bengal Award by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 1. Please visit the award website for more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process or to submit a nomination.
 
Award Description
Each of us knows a faculty member, staff member, or administrator who transforms the work and personal lives of their colleagues by supporting them with compassion, care, respect, and collegiality. These caring colleagues in our community can be found at every level of our institution, and although they create positive work experiences for each person they encounter, their contribution to our community sometimes goes unnoticed. To recognize these supportive colleagues in our community, each month faculty, staff, and administrators across all ranks, unions, and titles can be nominated by a colleague or student to receive the Caring Bengal Award.

The Faculty and Staff Recognition Committee, which includes faculty and staff representation from UUP, CSEA, the College Senate, and the Professional Staff Caucus, will review award nominations and select the award recipient each month. Each month, award recipients will be announced by me in the Daily Bulletin, will receive a gift, and will be invited along with their supervisor to a lunch with me at the end of the semester.

Fall 2018 Winners
October 2018: Robert Hudson
November 2018: Carole Miller-Canestrari
December 2018: Amy McMillan

Please contact Rebecca Catalano, staff assistant in the Professional Development Center, with questions about the President’s Caring Bengal Award.

Please join us for the webinar "Addressing Hate on Campus: Strategies for Responding to the Increase in Bias and Hate Incidents on College Campuses," on Tuesday, February 26, at 2:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 422.

The past several months have seen a dramatic uptick in incidents of racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and overall divisiveness on college campuses across the United States. Joining higher education administrators, faculty, staff, and students in their concerns over this growing national trend, INSIGHT Into Diversity has partnered with ADL (formerly the Anti-Defamation League) to offer an in-depth discussion on ways to respond to and prevent these incidents. As the leading provider of anti-bias education, ADL will share its expertise in combating hate, protecting communities, and confronting discrimination.

Guest speaker Elissa Buxbaum, director of campus affairs for ADL, will address the following topics:

• National trends of bias and hate incidents on college campuses
• White supremacist efforts to target and recruit college students
• Managing controversial speakers while protecting First Amendment rights to free speech
• Creating and preparing incident response teams
• College resources and training offered by ADL

A question-and-answer session will follow the webinar.