It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Amy McMillan as director of the Honors Program, effective June 1, 2019.

Dr. McMillan came to Buffalo State in January 2003 and was promoted to full professor in 2018. She has served as interim director of the Honors Program since 2017, in which time the program doubled in size, from 200 to 400 students. Dr. McMillan has served on numerous committees across campus, including the College Senate for six years, two of those as Senate chair.

She has received the President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the College, as an Undergraduate Research Mentor, and in Academic Advisement, and she recently received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. McMillan on this appointment.

I’d like to thank everyone who volunteered for and attended our 2019 Commencement ceremonies on May 18. Commencement is one of my favorite events because it brings so much joy to see our students, whom we all have nurtured, move on to the next stage of their lives and begin their careers. How exciting it was to see actor Jesse Martin and Holocaust survivor Sophia Veffer receive their honorary doctorates and to welcome back our distinguished and young alumni to receive their awards. None of it could have happened without all those who volunteered their time and efforts to make this event magical for our students. Thank you to all, and have a wonderful summer!

I encourage members of the campus community to attend the ninth biennial Networking in Higher Education Conference, “Defining 21st Century Activism Through Education,” hosted by the Association of Faculty and Staff of African Descent (AFSAD) at Buffalo State and the Minority Faculty and Staff Association (MFSA) at the University at Buffalo, on Friday, June 21, at the Millennium Hotel Buffalo, 2040 Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga.

The conference is designed to address critical issues facing secondary and higher education students, with an emphasis on underrepresented students. The program includes a plenary panel, keynote address, and workshops. This year’s panel, "Racism Fatigue in America," will focus on how disparities in education, health care, housing, and law enforcement adversely affect students and families. Attorney Jasmine Rand will deliver the keynote address. Known for her representation of the Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown families, Ms. Rand excels in the civil rights arena.

For more information or to register, please visit the conference website.

I am excited to announce that Caitlin Bauer, transfer admissions adviser in the Admissions Office, has received the President’s Professional Development Award. Ms. Bauer attended the New York State Transfer and Articulation Association annual conference May 21–23 in Ithaca, New York, where she collaborated with other transfer admissions professionals from across the state and learned about current transfer admissions best practices. Her professional development award profile can be viewed on the Professional Development website.

The President’s Professional Development Award supports professional development opportunities that enrich the experiences of all employees on campus by promoting opportunities that allow employees to build on their expertise, identify best practices, and network with others.

Nominations for the President’s Professional Development Award will reopen in September 2019 and will be posted in the Daily Bulletin. If you submitted an application but did not receive the award in past months and you are interested in submitting again, please resubmit your nomination. For more information about the award criteria and the award recipient selection process, please visit the Professional Development website.

The campus community is invited to an informational meeting to learn about Buffalo State’s role as the designated developer—via the college’s affiliate, BSCR Corporation—with the City of Buffalo for 166–170 Dart Street (auto impound lot) on Tuesday, June 4, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214.

Vice President for Finance and Management Laura J. Barnum will facilitate the presentation, which will highlight the college’s development vision and values, as well as the project timeline. The campus community will be invited to ask questions and provide input about the project during Tuesday’s presentation. As the process moves forward, students, faculty, and staff will have additional opportunities to provide feedback on the project and design concepts.

Questions for Tuesday’s meeting may also be submitted in advance to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

The campus community is invited to an informational meeting to learn about Buffalo State’s role as the designated developer—via the college’s affiliate, BSCR Corporation—with the City of Buffalo for 166–170 Dart Street (auto impound lot) tomorrow, June 4, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214.

Vice President for Finance and Management Laura J. Barnum will facilitate the presentation, which will highlight the college’s development vision and values, as well as the project timeline. The campus community will be invited to ask questions and provide input about the project during Tuesday’s presentation. As the process moves forward, students, faculty, and staff will have additional opportunities to provide feedback on the project and design concepts.

Questions for Tuesday’s meeting may also be submitted in advance to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

The campus community is invited to an informational meeting to learn about Buffalo State’s role as the designated developer—via the college’s affiliate, BSCR Corporation—with the City of Buffalo for 166–170 Dart Street (auto impound lot) today, June 4, at 12:15 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214.

Vice President for Finance and Management Laura J. Barnum will facilitate the presentation, which will highlight the college’s development vision and values, as well as the project timeline. The campus community will be invited to ask questions and provide input about the project during Tuesday’s presentation. As the process moves forward, students, faculty, and staff will have additional opportunities to provide feedback on the project and design concepts.

Questions for Tuesday’s meeting may also be submitted in advance to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of M. Scott Goodman as interim dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences, effective August 11, 2019. Dr. Goodman has been chair of the Chemistry Department for the past 14 years, and more recently he has served as director of the Undergraduate Research Office. He has also served Buffalo State and SUNY in various other capacities since coming here as an assistant professor in 1996, including as a faculty leader on the Buffalo State College Senate, as a member of the General Education Task Force, and as chair of the SUNY University Faculty Senate Graduate Programs and Research Committee.

Please join me in supporting Dr. Goodman in his new role. We look forward to the leadership he will bring to the School of Natural and Social Sciences.

Buffalo State will extend the current moratorium on new campus computer labs for an additional year to allow Information Technology Services to continue its review of existing computer lab spaces. A computer lab is defined as any space with more than one computer for student use. Special or extenuating circumstances will be addressed by the IT Executive Committee. We thank you for your cooperation. Please direct questions to  Melaine Kenyon, director of technology support services, 878-6679.

Buffalo State College is proud to announce the 2019 Networking in Higher Education Conference, “Defining 21st Century Activism Through Education,” held in collaboration with the University at Buffalo, on Friday, June 21, at the Millennium Hotel Buffalo, 2040 Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga.

I will moderate the plenary session of the conference, “Racism Fatigue in America,” which will feature Steve Peraza, assistant professor of history at Buffalo State, as a panelist. Additionally, Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development in the Professional Development Center, will present an afternoon workshop. This year’s keynote speaker will be Jasmine Rand, the attorney for the Trayvon Martin family. Ms. Rand is not only a professor, national legal analyst, international legal consultant, lecturer, columnist, and civil rights leader; she is also the founding attorney of Rand Law LLC, a Miami-based civil litigation firm.

Conference registration is now open and can be found on the UB website. Please direct questions to associate professor of English Lorna Pérez, Buffalo State’s co-chair for this event.