The Buffalo State internship coordinators and the Career Development Center staff are pleased to recognize 14 recipients of the Buffalo State Department Intern of the Year Award. Interns were selected by their academic departments because their hard work, dedication, and performance exceeded employer and faculty expectations. Additionally, they demonstrated a high level of learning and growth during their internship while maintaining exceptional professionalism. In addition to the student interns, the internship site supervisors, who have hosted, supported, and in many instances hired their Buffalo State interns, will be acknowledged in addition to the Buffalo State internship coordinators, who work tirelessly to provide outstanding applied learning experiences for students. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, recipients will be proudly recognized on the Career Development Center website, Twitter, and Instagram on Thursday, April 30, after noon. We hope you will join us in celebrating our student interns and organizations who have supported their learning.

The Buffalo State internship coordinators and the Career Development Center staff are pleased to recognize 14 recipients of the Buffalo State Department Intern of the Year Award. Interns were selected by their academic departments because their hard work, dedication, and performance exceeded employer and faculty expectations. Additionally, they demonstrated a high level of learning and growth during their internship while maintaining exceptional professionalism. In addition to the student interns, the internship site supervisors, who have hosted, supported, and in many instances hired their Buffalo State interns, will be acknowledged in addition to the Buffalo State internship coordinators, who work tirelessly to provide outstanding applied learning experiences for students. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, recipients will be proudly recognized on the Career Development Center website, Twitter, and Instagram today, April 30, after noon. We hope you will join us in celebrating our student interns and organizations who have supported their learning.

Our fourth and final candidate for the position of athletic director at Buffalo State College is Enzley Mitchell IV. Dr. Mitchell will present to the campus community during a virtual open forum on Friday, May 1, from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. via Zoom videoconferencing. If you would like to attend this forum, please sign up by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, April 30. The candidate’s curriculum vitae is available on the search website and will also be available during the teleconference forum.

The search committee encourages the campus community to provide feedback by completing an online survey, which will be open from 8:00 a.m. Friday, May 1, to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, May 2; responses will be anonymous. For more information, please visit the search website. Questions may be directed to Sarah Young, search chair. Thank you for your ongoing support and participation in this important process.

As we enter our seventh week of social distancing because of the coronavirus, I want to thank each of you for the work you are doing and for continuing to keep our students front and center as we adjust to remote instruction.

I also want to encourage you to take care of yourselves during one of the most stressful and unexpected events of our lifetime. Between worries over your own and your loved ones’ health and concerns about the pandemic’s effects on the economy, it’s easy to fall into a downward spiral of depression and helplessness. While these are completely normal emotions to experience right now, I don’t want any of you to feel this way.

Please know if you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, there are myriad resources both on and off campus that are available to help.

First, New York State’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is now providing remote and confidential counseling and other services, which are free for employees and their families. To schedule an appointment, call (800) 822-0244 or go online. Also, EAP has put together a wealth of links to mental health organizations and programming and tips for everything from parenting to cooking during a quarantine on its COVID-19 Resources page.

Another free resource for employees is the New York State Emotional Support Helpline, (844) 863-9314, which specifically addresses anxiety fueled by the coronavirus.

On our campus, the Weigel Wellness Center is producing a series of videos addressing ways to handle anxiety, isolation, and mental health, which will be available in May. In the meantime, Rock Doyle, assistant vice president for health and wellness, suggests that employees who would like referrals to services in the community call the Counseling Center at (716) 878-4436.

Also, I’d like point to a few of our terrific faculty and staff members who have shared their suggestions for making it through these difficult days in recent Daily Bulletin stories. Robert Delprino, professor of psychology and assistant dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences, talked about finding normalcy in this most unusual time; Carol DeNysschen, professor and chair of the Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department, suggested finding a mode of exercise you enjoy to fight stress and stave off pandemic-related weight gain; and Charlene Vetter, Counseling Center clinical manager, suggested reducing stress with meditation by using apps like Headspace and tuning in to free yoga sessions offered by Weigel Health Promotions every Wednesday at noon via Zoom.

Personally, I’ve found that practicing yoga helps manage stress, as does cooking some of my favorite dishes and enjoying old movies with my husband. If you’ve found something that brings you solace, I would love to hear from you.

No doubt, this is a turbulent and disturbing time. It’s important to remember that we’re all in this together. And together, we will get through it.

Because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency and state and federal bans on large meetings or gatherings, and pursuant to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 220.1 issued on March 12, 2020, suspending the Open Meetings Law, the Buffalo State College Council meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2020, will be held electronically via webinar. Members of the public may view the board meeting via Zoom videoconference online or listen by phone at (646) 558-8656 (New York).

Meeting ID: 893 3569 8834
Password: 407931

Minutes of the board meeting will be transcribed and posted on the Buffalo State website.

Agenda

1. Call to Order - Linda Dobmeier, Council Chair
2. Action Items - Linda Dobmeier
   Approval of the Minutes: February 25, 2020
3. Chair’s Report - Linda Dobmeier
4. President’s Report - Kate Conway-Turner
5. Committee Reports
6. Announcements - Kate Conway-Turner
7. Executive Session (If Needed)
8. Adjournment - Linda Dobmeier

I am pleased to announce that Roswell Park, former director of the individualized studies program, received the President's Caring Bengal Award in December. Dr. Park received the award just before his retirement on December 31, 2019. The Buffalo State Community was saddened to hear of his death on April 8, 2020.

Dr. Park was nominated for the award by Neil O’Donnell, senior counselor in the Educational Opportunity Program, and remembrances have been collected from many who worked closely with Dr. Park. It is my pleasure to recognize Dr. Park for his selfless efforts and dedication to Buffalo State, making it a great place to live, learn, and work. His indelible impact will be cherished for years to come.

His award profile can be viewed on the Professional Development website.

I announced the creation and implementation of the President's Caring Bengal Award in December 2017 to recognize 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. Friday, May 15. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

As required by SUNY System Administration and described in New York State Division of Budget Bulletin B-1223, Buffalo State has established procedures for enacting spending controls (PDF, 420 KB) across all funds at the campus.

Budget Bulletin B-1223 requires the elimination of all non-essential non-personal-service spending. It states, “Agencies must eliminate spending on all discretionary non-personal-service items, including publications, supplies, equipment, and contractual services that are not necessary to protect the health, safety and security of employees and citizens, and to ensure the continuation of high priority operations and services. Agencies should cease the initiation of new contracts or purchase orders for all but essential items.”

In compliance with this directive, effective immediately and without exception, Buffalo State purchase requests in any amount and in any format must be accompanied by a completed and approved Spending Constraints Attestation Form (DOCX, 81 KB).

The purpose of the spending control procedure and form is to create true savings. Spending constraints must generate real and meaningful cost savings to help protect the institution. Because the budget situation being faced by New York State and SUNY is unprecedented, flexibility and creativity are required of all of us. We understand that enacting these controls will be a challenge, and we greatly appreciate your compliance with them.

Thank you for helping Buffalo State respond constructively to its current challenges. Questions may be directed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

As we approach the end of this unprecedented spring semester at Buffalo State College, my mind has already turned toward summer and preparations for the fall 2020 semester.

There is no question that this summer will be markedly different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, the summer months of June and July on the Buffalo State campus are bustling with happy faces, intensive classes, visits by prospective students, orientation sessions for new and transfer students, athletic camps, and countless special events for our wonderful community.

Last month, we announced that our 2020 summer classes will remain fully online as we continue to observe important social distancing and density-reduction protocols to keep our community safe—while making every effort to keep students on a successful path to degree completion. These necessary safety precautions have unquestionably disrupted other summer events and milestones as well, including our first-year and transfer orientations, which will also be held virtually this summer.

As we look to the fall semester, I want you to know that we are working tirelessly to prepare a number of strategic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we don’t yet know what the fall will look like, we do know that safety will be our No. 1 priority. We know it is yours as well. And because we can’t yet know what the public health guidelines for fall 2020 will be, we must prepare for all possible outcomes, all of which preserve the flexible, supportive, and affordable learning environment for which Buffalo State is known. I wanted to share with you a few of the scenarios under consideration:

• Like you, we are hoping it will be safe to resume classes, activities, and residence hall operations on campus this fall, even if some social distancing mandates may still be in effect. If that is the case, whether it be in the residence halls, the dining facilities, the athletic fields, or the classrooms, we will have a wide variety of safety measures and enhanced cleaning procedures in place to keep our students, faculty, and staff protected.
• We are also preparing for a scenario in which our public health officials recommend a more restrictive level of physical distancing in the fall. In this case, limited campus operations might resume, with small classes, labs, and studio sessions meeting on campus and large lecture-style classes continuing to meet remotely. In this scenario, our resident students would live primarily in suite- or apartment-style halls, to limit the sharing of commons spaces and bathrooms. 
• And although we hope it does not come to this, we must also be fully prepared to deliver an outstanding and engaging education remotely if public health officials should deem it necessary.

Regardless of what happens, I am steadfastly committed to keeping our students on an uninterrupted path toward academic success and timely graduation, while ensuring that our valued faculty and staff are safe and supported.

To that end, I have charged Provost James Mayrose with evaluating all possible scenarios for the fall 2020 semester to help chart the best possible course to keep our community safe and fulfill our educational mission as Buffalo’s College. Provost Mayrose has appointed a planning group of more than 30 individuals from across campus to help evaluate our options for this fall. The group will begin meeting today, May 1, and will be tasked with recommending three robust and detailed operational plans to the cabinet and me by mid-May. In June, I intend to provide an update about our anticipated plans for the fall semester, which of course will be subject to change based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health, the Erie County Department of Health, SUNY System Administration, and Governor Cuomo’s New York Forward Re-Opening Plan.    

Thank you for your continued patience and dedication to Buffalo State and our students. Be well. 

Fall 2020 Scenario Planning Team

• James Mayrose, Provost, Chair
• John Cabra, Professor, Creative Studies, Facilitator
• Lisa Marie Anselmi, Associate Professor, Anthropology, UUP Representative
• William Benfanti, Associate Vice President for Government and Alumni Relations
• Peter Carey, Chief of University Police, IMT Commander
• Rock Doyle, Assistant Vice President, Weigel Wellness Center
• Kristin Fields, Interim Director, Continuing Professional Studies
• Timothy Gordon, Vice President for Student Affairs
• Jeffrey Hammer, Interim Director, Environmental Health and Safety
• Carlos Jones, Interim Dean, School of Arts and Humanities
• Kris Kaufman, Director of Maintenance/Repair and Residential Planning
• Scott Kent, Manager, Custodial Services
• Kimberly Kline, Professor, Higher Education Administration, College Senate Representative
• Lisa Krieger, Associate Vice President for Administrative Services
• Michael Lewis, Director, Events Management
• David Loretto, Director, Undergraduate Admissions
• Charles Lyons, Director, Butler Library
• Jacquelyn Malcolm, CIO and Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications
• Heather Maldonado, Assistant Provost, College Senate Representative
• Joseph Marren, Professor, Communication, College Senate Chair
• Nigel Marriner, Registrar
• Lisa Morrison-Fronckowiak, Director, Student Accessibility Services
• Meghan Pereira, Director, Instructional Design and Technology
• Laura Rao, Director, Civic and Community Engagement
• Sarah Reid, Campus Planner
• Jason Rivera, Assistant Professor, Political Science
• Donna Scuto, Associate Vice President, Sponsored Programs
• James Thor, Associate Vice President and Controller, Financial Operations
• Jeffrey Ventura, Associate Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
• Amitra Wall, Associate Provost
• Jamie Warnes, Officer in Charge, Human Resource Management
• Sarah Young, Dean of Students

I am pleased to announce that Jude Jayatilleke, senior academic adviser in the Educational Opportunity Program, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Mr. Jayatilleke was nominated for the award by Neil O'Donnell, senior EOP counselor in the Educational Opportunity Program; Sandra Washington-Copeland, teacher diversity pipeline adviser in the School of Education; Jean Carlos Brito, current sophomore student in the business administration program; and Sheilly Aguilar, current sophomore student in the psychology and Spanish programs.

I am so pleased to recognize Mr. Jayatilleke, 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.

I announced the creation and implementation of the President's Caring Bengal Award in December 2017 to recognize 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. Friday, May 29. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

As we continue to anticipate significant challenges and impacts on our campus finances from the COVID-19 pandemic, I am urging all members of the campus community to review and take seriously the new spending controls that were shared via the Daily Bulletin on April 24 and April 30. 

In addition, new guidance from the New York State Division of Budget released last week outlines a strict hiring freeze across all state agencies. Effective immediately, any open or previously approved personnel searches at Buffalo State College are now subject to further review and reassessment by the cabinet. All future searches are postponed indefinitely. The only exceptions to the statewide hiring freeze are positions that are essential to health or safety or are critical to the continuity of operations that directly support revenue generation.

It is absolutely imperative that we work together to strategically limit our spending in the days, weeks, and months ahead to ensure our financial sustainability during these unprecedented times. I anticipate providing an overview of the 2020–2021 budget forecast via the Daily Bulletin during the week of May 11.

Thank you to each and every member of our faculty and staff for your understanding, patience, and dedication to Buffalo State and our students. Be well.