Please join us for "Race, Family, and Identity," a conversation with Buffalo native, author, and diversity consultant E. Dolores Johnson, who will discuss her memoir, Say I'm Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets, and Love, on Wednesday, August 19, from 11:00 a.m. to noon via videoconference.

The daughter of an interracial couple, Ms. Johnson will talk about her parents’ secret marriage in Buffalo in the 1940s, the search for her own identity, and what it means to grow up Black in America.

Say I’m Dead is the true story of family secrets, separation, courage, and transformation through five generations of interracial relationships. Fearful of Indiana’s anti-miscegenation laws, Ms. Johnson’s Black father and White mother fled Indianapolis to secretly marry in Buffalo.

When Ms. Johnson was born, her government-issued birth certificate said she was Black. Later, as a Harvard-educated business executive, she searched her genealogy, uncovering a 36-year-old secret in the process.

Award-winning author Alex Marzano-Lesnevich writes, “How and why it took her years to claim both heritages, and to unearth the secrets that defined her family, testifies to the complicated history of race relations in America. The family's changes over time mirror what our country has gone through and continues to wrestle with. Her story will both inspire and educate.”

Buffalo State College is a proud sponsor of this event, hosted by alumna Claudine Ewing, ’92, news anchor for WGRZ-TV 2.

Please register online.

Please join us for "Race, Family, and Identity," a conversation with Buffalo native, author, and diversity consultant E. Dolores Johnson, who will discuss her memoir, Say I'm Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets, and Love, on Wednesday, August 19, from 11:00 a.m. to noon via videoconference.

The daughter of an interracial couple, Ms. Johnson will talk about her parents’ secret marriage in Buffalo in the 1940s, the search for her own identity, and what it means to grow up Black in America.

Say I’m Dead is the true story of family secrets, separation, courage, and transformation through five generations of interracial relationships. Fearful of Indiana’s anti-miscegenation laws, Ms. Johnson’s Black father and White mother fled Indianapolis to secretly marry in Buffalo.

When Ms. Johnson was born, her government-issued birth certificate said she was Black. Later, as a Harvard-educated business executive, she searched her genealogy, uncovering a 36-year-old secret in the process.

Award-winning author Alex Marzano-Lesnevich writes, “How and why it took her years to claim both heritages, and to unearth the secrets that defined her family, testifies to the complicated history of race relations in America. The family's changes over time mirror what our country has gone through and continues to wrestle with. Her story will both inspire and educate.”

Buffalo State College is a proud sponsor of this event, hosted by alumna Claudine Ewing, ’92, news anchor for WGRZ-TV 2.

Please register online.

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, September 8, 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: 814 4966 9579
Password: 482169

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

Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Action Items
   Approval of the Minutes: May 5, 2020; July 31, 2020
3. Chair’s Report
4. President’s Report
5. Committee Reports
6. Announcements
7. Executive Session (If Necessary)
8. Adjournment

As noted in the President’s 2020–2021 Budget Update on August 4, many things remain uncertain as we prepare for the fall restart of campus operations. The college is facing a significant budget deficit this year. On August 3, I shared an update on implementation of the 2020–2021 state revenue offset/operating budget, stressing the need to efficiently and effectively manage and monitor our limited resources and adhere to strict spending control procedures.

As a reminder, the procedures described in an April 30 announcement remain in effect as we return to campus for the fall 2020 semester. The controls involve the requirement of a completed attestation form for each proposed expenditure, as all procurement is limited to items and services that are essential, urgent, and relevant to Buffalo State’s strategic priorities, regardless of cost. Spending controls remain in effect for all sources: state appropriated, state revenue offset/operating, Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR), Dormitory Income Fund Reimbursable (DIFR), State University Tuition Reimbursable Account (SUTRA), the Research Foundation at Buffalo State, and the Buffalo State College Foundation.

In addition, as announced on May 18, the number of active Procurement Card holders has been reduced by 90 percent. Remaining active users per division or President’s Cabinet area have been selected and notified. All other Procurement Card use is prohibited.

Finally, please keep in mind that while we understand all employees wish to return to campus as safely as possible, personal protective equipment and other COVID-19-related items should not be ordered without prior consultation. As shared with the campus on July 6, all requests for COVID-19-related purchases, including signage, must be submitted to Jeffrey Hammer, director of environmental health and safety, for approval before purchase. This includes purchases that will be made with a Procurement Card.

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

As our Bengals return to campus and the residence halls this week, an excitement is in the air. Admittedly, it does not feel like a traditional move-in week, but the promise and enthusiasm of our new and returning Bengals is energizing nonetheless, and a wonderful reminder of why we do the work that we do.

As we safely return to campus over the next two weeks, please remember our mission to support and nurture our students. Educating students is our mission. And it is our responsibility to support their personal and academic growth, even in these uncertain times.

Understandably, some of us are nervous about returning to campus as we resume on-campus operations. But please know that as Return to Work plans have been reviewed and approved, representatives from Environmental Health and Safety and Human Resource Management have carefully examined each department and office plan to ensure that we are taking the necessary steps to reduce density in offices, promote social distancing, and equip spaces with the appropriate physical adjustments. While we cannot eradicate all risk in our environment, we should all be proud and grateful for the work done over the summer to prepare campus for our return and to mitigate risk using CDC guidelines, and public health and New York State guidance.

I also recognize the developments in K–12 education over the past two weeks have likely caused anxiety and concern for many members of our community wondering how to best balance work schedules on and off campus, child care, and transportation of children to and from school—while perhaps even brushing up on their fifth-grade math skills to assist with virtual learning. As a mother, I know these challenges are tough even in a normal year, let alone during a pandemic. Vice presidents, directors, and supervisors will do their best to work with employees to overcome these challenges and find the right work-life balance and schedule during this difficult period. If you have concerns, please work with your supervisor and discuss how you can best support campus operations while balancing your important life at home.

Deans, directors, and supervisors, as we resume our reimagined on-campus operations, I would ask that you please clearly post and communicate your offices hours and how members of the community can interact with your units virtually or in person, if necessary.

Individual faculty and staff members returning to campus, please be sure to watch the New York State Return to Work video and complete the accompanying acknowledgment form. Employees must also complete a COVID-19 screening questionnaire before reporting to campus each day. 

As the guidance continues to evolve, please continue to monitor the Daily Bulletin and the Coronavirus website for updates and new information. 

Again, I want to thank every member of the Buffalo State faculty and staff for their hard work and dedication over the past few months. If we all do our part to keep ourselves and our fellow Bengals safe, we will have a successful semester. Be well, Bengals!

I am pleased to announce that IT is piloting Microsoft Teams Meetings as an additional web conferencing solution. Blackboard Collaborate remains available as well. Additional infrastructure has been put into place to alleviate previous connectivity challenges with Collaborate. MS Teams Meetings is available now for faculty and staff to hold virtual meetings with colleagues and students.

Important features include supporting up to 300 attendees per meeting, up to 49 webcams visually on screen at one time (only while using the MS Teams Desktop App), calendar integration, and file and screen sharing. To get started, please see the Knowledge Base article explaining how to schedule online meetings with Microsoft Teams and this guide that you can share with your students.

All meeting participants must have an Internet connection to join a Microsoft Teams meeting (call-in option is currently not available). Access to bandwidth varies across the city and state. Individual computer settings can affect the user experience.

Microsoft Teams Meetings is currently the only MS Teams feature that is currently available on campus. The other collaborative features of Teams (e.g., Document sharing, Channels, Tabs) will be implemented at a later date and are not currently available to faculty and staff.

Schedule Online Meetings with Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams Meetings Assistance

Student Guide to Microsoft Team Meetings

How to Prevent Microsoft Teams from Starting Automatically

Buffalo State College is pleased to announce recommencement of the Dart Street development project with a virtual public exhibition on Monday, September 14, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Public aspects of the project were paused in spring 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this online event, RFP respondents will describe their visions for development of the Dart Street site. The virtual exhibition will include

• presentations from three development teams,
• a live-monitored virtual question-and-answer session,
• break-out sessions for each development team in its own monitored video conferencing room.

Please join us on September 14 to hear details of each developer’s reimagining of the Dart Street parcels. Register online to be notified of the virtual event details. The exhibition will be moderated by Professor Robert G. Shibley, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo.

After the exhibition, a recorded session will be available for view and comment online, and on a public computer at the Elaine M. Pantry Branch Library, 820 Tonawanda Street in Buffalo.

Questions and comments may be submitted by e-mail to dartstreet@buffalostate.edu.

We believe an informed community is a safe community; therefore, we have created a COVID-19 online case dashboard for the fall semester.

The online dashboard will be regularly updated as new cases of COVID-19 are identified this semester. Students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to bookmark the dashboard and monitor it throughout the year. Campuswide e-mails will not be issued after each positive test. Campuswide notifications will be reserved for larger outbreaks that may affect operations.

Any resident student who tests positive for COVID-19 will be quarantined in North Wing, which has been designated as an isolation residence hall. Commuter students, faculty, or staff members who test positive will quarantine in their off-campus homes. The college partners with the Erie County Department of Health on contact tracing efforts, and any close contacts with positive individuals will be notified directly and asked to quarantine as appropriate.

We must all recognize that COVID-19 is prevalent in the Western New York community and take necessary precautions. We also encourage the campus community to remain informed about infection rates in Erie County and in New York State.

Full compliance with mandatory face mask and physical distancing policies will be imperative to a safe semester. Wearing a mask not only protects you; it also protects your fellow Bengals. We are in this together. Please do your part to keep everyone safe.

New York State enacted legislation in 2018 requiring all employers, including Buffalo State College, to ensure that their employees complete sexual harassment prevention training by October 9, 2020. The following training requirements meet all New York State requirements for sexual harassment prevention training. The Equity and Campus Diversity Office is offering the following options to comply with this requirement:

1. 2020 Recertification: Staff and Faculty Who Completed the 2019 Sexual Harassment Training
If you completed the 2019 Sexual Harassment Training, you need to complete only the 2020 Recertification training by October 9, 2020. Employees can complete the online training in their offices or anywhere else that they have access to Blackboard Learn at a time that is convenient for them. The training takes between 15 and 20 minutes to complete. Once you log in to Blackboard and access the training folder, please read all the directions and complete the required actions described.  

2.  2020 Certification: New Staff and Faculty Who Have Not Completed the 2019 Sexual Harassment Training
If you have not completed the 2019 Sexual Harassment Training, you need to complete only the 2020 Certification training by October 9, 2020. Employees can complete the online training in their offices or anywhere else that they have access to Blackboard Learn at a time that is convenient for them. The training takes between 45 minutes and one hour to complete. Once you log in to Blackboard and access the training folder, please read all the directions and complete the required actions described.  

3. Employees Who Do Not Have Access to Blackboard
For employees who do not have access to Blackboard (for example, Facilities staff members), the Equity and Campus Diversity Office is coordinating options to complete the training with your supervisor. Please contact the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, 878-6210, for more information.

Accessing the 2020 Recertification and Certification Training
The sexual harassment prevention training videos may be accessed through the "My Organizations" section of Blackboard Learn. The training link is titled "New York State Sexual Harassment Learning Modules." Completing the training videos and reviewing Buffalo State’s Policy and Procedures on Sexual Harassment complies with the college’s obligation to provide the sexual harassment prevention training and your requirement as a New York State employee to receive and complete sexual harassment prevention training.

For more information, please visit the Equity and Campus Diversity website or review the list of frequently asked questions. For all other questions, please contact the Equity and Campus Diversity Office, 878-6210.

Traditionally, Bengals Dare to Care is a day of service that brings the Buffalo State College community together in partnership to make an impact on organizations and our neighbors across the region. As we strive to keep our students and community safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as engage our campus community in discussions of racial justice, we have made the decision to reimagine our day of caring into a four-week experience to demonstrate Buffalo State’s commitment to social responsibility, community building, and social justice.

Please join me from October 26 to November 21 to learn, engage, and take action on racial justice. Each week we will focus on a topic, feature a virtual speaker event, provide additional resources for engaging in the issue on a local level, and list ways in which individuals can take action. 

• Tuesday, October 27, 4:00–5:00 p.m., Franchelle C. H. Parker and Max Anderson, Open Buffalo
• Wednesday, November 4, 2:00–3:00 p.m., Daniel Robertson, Manager of Boys and Men of Color Initiative, Say Yes Buffalo
• Monday, November 9, 12:30–1:30 p.m., Kirby Briggs, Kirby’s Korner, and Alex Burgos, MOCHA Center
• Thursday, November 19, 12:15–1:15 p.m., Ada Garcia-Poll, ’18, and Hannah Kalmeyer, ’21

More information and a link to register can be found on the Civic and Community Engagement Office website.