On or about March 1, Buffalo State faculty and staff members will receive an e-mail message from SUNY System Administration intended to gather information about the incidence of sexual and interpersonal violence and knowledge of related policies and resources available on campus. The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete and is completely voluntary. You may choose to skip questions or stop responding at any point during the survey.

The survey is completely confidential, and the results will be reported in terms of groups of employees rather than as individuals. The survey does ask questions about sexual and interpersonal violence with regard to both your own experiences and your experiences with students who have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence. I must caution you that some of the language used in the survey is explicit and might make some people uncomfortable, but it is necessary to ensure that respondents are clear about what is being asked. Information on how to get help, should you need it, appears at the bottom of each page and is available anonymously at any time on the Sexual Assault & Violence Response (SAVR) Resources website.

Registration is now open for the 2019 NYS ACE Women's Network annual conference Thursday and Friday, April 4 and 5, in Cooperstown, New York. Early bird rates expire Monday, March 25.

The conference keynote speaker is Sally Helgesen, a best-selling author, speaker, and leadership coach cited in Forbes as the world's premier expert on women's leadership. For the last 30 years, her mission has been to help female leaders around the world recognize, articulate, and act on their greatest strengths. She also works with senior teams seeking to build more inclusive cultures. Ms. Helgesen's most recent book, How Women Rise, coauthored with coaching legend Marshall Goldsmith, became the top-selling title in its field within a week of publication.

More information, including hotel reservations, is available on the conference website.

As we head into the 2019 Faculty and Staff Appeal, I first want to thank everyone who has generously contributed to this student-focused campaign in the past. As you consider a gift for this year, I want to remind you of the narrow financial margins students often face, the kind that mean the difference between earning a Buffalo State degree and dropping out.

For instance, every year several students who are otherwise doing well learn that they cannot register for the next semester because of a hold on their account. This could be due to a shortage of just a couple hundred dollars. For whatever reason, these students simply don’t have the money to continue their education, regardless of how close they are to the finish line.

This is where a new campus scholarship comes into play. Called the Back on Track Fund, it provides one-time assistance to students in good academic standing with an outstanding balance in their account that prevents future course registration. James Finnerty, vice president for institutional advancement, created the fund last fall, and Connie Cooke, director of financial aid, manages it.

In order for Back on Track to be successful, please consider contributing to this fund. Back on Track is one of six emergency funds that push students over the hump when they run into unexpected financial hurdles.

Begun in 1988, the Faculty and Staff Appeal has become interwoven into the Buffalo State culture of philanthropy. There are now almost 800 funds to which you can contribute, including scholarships, fellowships, memorial funds, and program and department funds. The full list (PDF, 289 KB) is available on the Giving website.

Please join me in supporting the 2019 Faculty and Staff Appeal. Whether you make a one-time gift or opt for payroll deductions, know that you are helping Buffalo State students achieve their goal of reaching the finish line and earning a college degree.

For more information, please contact Claire Collier, appeal coordinator, 878-5206. Thank you for your support.

Registration is 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. Early bird rates expire Monday, March 25.

The conference keynote speaker is Sally Helgesen, a best-selling author, speaker, and leadership coach cited in Forbes as the world's premier expert on women's leadership. For the last 30 years, her mission has been to help female leaders around the world recognize, articulate, and act on their greatest strengths. She also works with senior teams seeking to build more inclusive cultures. Ms. Helgesen's most recent book, How Women Rise, coauthored with coaching legend Marshall Goldsmith, became the top-selling title in its field within a week of publication.

More information, including hotel reservations, is available on the conference website.

The campus community is invited to attend the 62nd annual Honors Convocation on Thursday, April 18, at 3:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The ceremony will recognize students for their outstanding academic achievement. One of the oldest traditions at Buffalo State, Honors Convocation is held each spring to celebrate students who have achieved academic excellence. All invited students have earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and have accumulated a minimum of 60 earned credit hours at Buffalo State (30 Buffalo State earned credit hours for transfer students). As a token of the college’s recognition, each honored student is presented with a Buffalo State Honors Convocation pin and certificate, and a reception with light refreshments will immediately follow the ceremony.

The event is sponsored by the Academic Affairs Office. The 3:00 p.m. start time is new this year to better accommodate student work and family schedules. Also new this year is the addition of top student department awards at the ceremony. Students receiving the top award in their academic departments will be invited to participate in Honors Convocation and will receive notification from their department or dean’s office.

Honors students will receive a letter of invitation from Academic Affairs that includes instructions and a link to invite one faculty or staff member to attend as their honored guest and to sit with them. Please be aware that the student invitations this year will be electronic and no longer in paper format. Faculty and staff who receive an electronic invitation from students will be able to respond and RSVP electronically to their students.

There will be no general academic procession of faculty and staff, though any faculty or staff members who attend either as a student’s honored guest or on their own to support the honored students are welcome to wear academic garb.

The bookstore will take orders for regalia rentals until Tuesday, March 12, for Honors Convocation. If you wish to use rented regalia for both Honors Convocation and Commencement, you will be able to keep it until May 20. Otherwise, rented regalia for Honors Convocation is due Monday, April 22. Information with pricing is posted on the Academic Affairs website under Faculty/Staff Regalia. A limited number and variety of gowns are available for loan through the Academic Affairs Office, and a regalia loan request form is also provided on the website. Please provide your own hood and cap, either rented or owned, if possible.

Please contact Carolyn Martino, assistant to the provost, with any Honors Convocation questions. Thank you for supporting our honors students and attending the ceremony.

At its December 14, 2018, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a new DOPS Course Audit Policy, to be implemented as follows:

DOPS Addition: Course Audit Policy
Drafted by the College Senate Instruction and Research Committee and the College Senate Standards for Students Committee.
Introduced at the October 12, 2018, College Senate meeting.
Presented for discussion and vote at the December 14, 2018, College Senate meeting. 

WHEREAS, there is currently no policy for auditing courses at Buffalo State; and

WHEREAS, it is important to have clear definitions of auditing; and

WHEREAS, it is important to be able to document the number of people who are auditing at Buffalo State; and

WHEREAS, it is important to have an accurate course roster for the purposes of safety and risk management; and

WHEREAS, having a formal auditing procedure will help facilitate appropriate access to technology (e.g., Blackboard) and resources (e.g., library) for non-degree-seeking students; and

WHEREAS, a formal audit policy will enable appropriate offices on campus to assess the application of appropriate fees (e.g., technology), which are currently covered by enrolled students,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State College adopt the following Course Audit Policy; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the administrative units involved be given ample time (at least one year from the adoption of this policy) to make the necessary updates to forms and processing technology (e.g., Banner, Degree Works, Blackboard) in order to update and test the function of Banner to ensure that records will be processed properly before fully implementing this policy.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:09:01 (proposed number)
Date: October 2018
SUBJECT: Course Audit Policy

TYPES OF AUDITORS

• Currently enrolled students
  -- With instructor permission, students who are currently enrolled in the college may audit classes. Students will be required to complete the audit form. Audit courses do not count toward full-time status.
• Faculty and staff/research scholars
  -- Faculty and staff may audit courses. Auditors must complete the audit form.
• Non-degree-seeking students
  -- Students who have completed the non-degree-seeking application through the Admissions Office may audit classes. Auditors must complete the audit form and may have limited access to campus services and technology.

AUDITING CRITERIA

General criteria for all auditors:

• Auditing provides a person permission to regularly attend and participate in a class without receiving a grade or earning credit.
• Auditors must obtain approval from the instructor of the course.

 -- Auditing is a privilege and requires instructor approval. No one can claim the right to audit any course at any given time.
-- An audit form that includes approval of the instructor and the department chair must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the add/drop deadline for the semester in which the audit will take place.
-- Students who have been previously dismissed or are on academic probation must also obtain permission from the associate dean and meet conditions for readmission to the college in order to audit a course.
-- The auditor’s role beyond attending the course, such as completing assignments, receiving instructor feedback, and taking exams, should be agreed upon with the instructor.

• Auditors may be admitted only if the classroom capacity has not been met with regular enrollment. The audit agreement will be voided if maximum classroom capacity has been met by the add/drop deadline.
• Course auditors may be expected to purchase textbooks and supplies necessary to participate in the course (e.g., art supplies). 
• Auditing is not permitted for the following:
  --Study-abroad programs, student teaching, fieldwork, independent study, thesis, senior projects, SUNY cross-registration, or classes that include patient-client contact.
• Special considerations for laboratory and studio classes:
  -- See DOPS Policy I:09:00.
  -- Course auditors may be required to pay laboratory or similar fees associated with the course.

The auditing student will NOT receive a grade or earn credit toward a class.

• Audited courses do not count toward full-time status for enrolled students.
• Auditors may not retroactively register or request (e.g., petition) to receive credit in a course they are auditing. If a student registers for the same course in a different semester, the student is responsible for completing all course requirements during the semester in which the student is registered. 
• Work completed in an audited course may not be used toward improving a previous grade or for extended registration because of an incomplete (I) grade.
• A student may not audit a course for which he or she is currently enrolled. The student must drop the course and seek audit approval before the add/drop deadline.

Additional criteria for non-degree-seeking auditors:

• Auditors who are not seeking a degree and/or are not currently enrolled in the college must complete a non-degree application and related documentation through the Admissions Office as well as complete and submit the audit form.
• Non-degree-seeking auditors will not be charged tuition; however, other fees may apply.
  -- Non-degree-seeking auditors may be required to pay fees that could include but are not limited to a registration fee, a class or lab fee, and a fee to cover technology and library use on campus.
  -- Auditors 60 years of age and older may be exempt from a registration fee.
• Non-degree-seeking auditors are expected to adhere to all college policies and the Student Code of Conduct.
• Auditors must adhere to parking rules and regulations and may need to purchase a parking pass if parking on campus.

I hereby approve the resolution on the DOPS Course Audit Policy and authorize immediate implementation of the policy. I charge the provost with the responsibility of overseeing and ensuring implementation and communication of the policy to all appropriate constituents.

I am pleased to announce new leadership and areas of focus for two teams within Information Technology: IT Strategic Planning and Operations (formerly IT Operations Management) and Technology Planning and Outreach.

These leadership and operational changes are a result of succession planning and an ongoing analysis of IT’s mission as we strive to best serve the campus community, be responsible stewards of our limited financial resources, and strive for industry best practice.  

Khaleel Gathers will serve as deputy CIO and also lead the Technology Planning and Outreach team. Carolynn Krupp will now serve as director of IT Strategic Planning and Operations. Maryruth Glogowski will serve as special assistant to the CIO.

Please join me in congratulating these individuals on their new roles. More information on the new organizational structure can be found on the IT website.

I am happy to announce a new self-service password reset function for Buffalo State account holders who forget their passwords. Until now, if you forgot your Buffalo State password, you would have to call the IT Help Desk. Now you can reset a forgotten password yourself once you register for the new self-service password reset function.

All Buffalo State account holders (students and employees) must register for the self-service password reset. Faculty members should register for this service before leaving campus for the summer.

Please log in and follow the prompts on the website. This IT Knowledge Base article will give you more information and instructions on how to register for this new service.

Definitions

• Authentication: The process or action of verifying the identity of a user or process.
• Buffalo State account holder: Anyone who has a Buffalo State username and password.
• Password change: Changing a current password to a new one. This is already offered as a self-service at Buffalo State.
• Password reset: Creating a new password when an account holder forgets his or her current password.
• Self-service: A service where customers help themselves rather than call for assistance.

The spring 2019 Banner midterm grading window has been open since 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 11, and will close at 9:00 p.m. Friday, March 22. 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 fall 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.

We are pleased to announce the call for applications for the third cohort of the Faculty Fellowship Program, created by the SUNY Performance Improvement Funds (PIF) grant received by Buffalo State to assist in our efforts to centralize and support approved applied learning (AAL) on campus. Applied learning refers to an educational approach whereby students learn by engaging in direct application of skills, theories, and models. To be “approved,” the activity or course must meet the five criteria as defined by SUNY.

Full-time and part-time faculty members are encouraged to apply for the fall 2019 Approved Applied Learning Faculty Fellowship Cohort. Experience in applied learning is not required.

Selected participants will receive $1,000 in two installments, awarded as follows:

Faculty fellows will receive $500 for the following responsibilities:

• completing a two-day mini-conference on Wednesday, May 22 (8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.), and Thursday, May 23, (8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.).

Participants will receive an additional $500 for the following responsibilities:

• implementing the AAL activity in the fall 2019 semester; 
• submitting a completed AAL project or activity outline (content and assessment);
• participating in at least two follow-up meetings during fall 2019;
• being an active participant as an approved applied learning fellow (for example, presenting to the campus, contributing to the website, designing and offering a workshop), and
• completing and distributing assessment surveys.  

Applications are due by Monday, April 15. Please contact Stephanie Zuckerman- Aviles, director of the Career Development Center, with questions about the program.