Because of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, Undergraduate Admissions will not hold an in-person synchronous Open House this fall. Instead, we will hold individual virtual department presentations with our faculty and staff. Please view this sample presentation to get an idea of what the virtual presentations will look like.

Please note:

• These virtual department presentations will be hosted through Slate, and training will follow for faculty and staff members who are participating.
  Video Instructions
  PDF Instructions (530 KB)
• The Slate platform is user friendly and similar to Zoom. Faculty and staff members will also receive video instructions in the confirmation e-mail upon completion of the online RSVP form.
• Department presentations will be held on different days and times selected by faculty and staff members. All individual presentations will collectively account for our Fall Virtual Open House.
• As a part of this registration, faculty and staff members can choose one or two dates for their department presentation. Presentations will take place at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. every day in October and November, and faculty members can choose one day each month.
• The presentation can be the same if faculty and staff members select two dates. Selecting two dates will allow us to promote to a larger audience as we continue to collect new student information.
• Faculty and staff members will be asked to upload the presentation as a part of the online RSVP form.
• A confirmation e-mail will follow with additional information after completion of the form.
• The presentations will be recorded and posted on the Admissions Virtual Visit page.
• The Admissions Office will be responsible for creation of all events, the promotion of events, and the entire communication plan. Faculty and staff members will simply be tasked with creating a presentation for prospective students and conducting the presentation.

Sample Department Presentation

Faculty and Staff RSVP Form for Open House

Questions about the program can be directed to Thomas Karanas, assistant director of admissions, by phone at 878-4408 or by text at (716) 261-2365.

We thank you for your support as we continue our prospective student and family recruitment activities in a virtual environment.

As we work together to support the health and safety of our campus community by reducing daily density on campus, maintaining security, and redeploying our resources toward sanitizing and cleaning efforts, we ask for the campus community’s cooperation and understanding as we implement a revised access plan for academic and administrative buildings during the fall 2020 semester.

Effective immediately, building entrances with electronic or handicap-accessible access will be the only exterior doors that will be unlocked during documented hours of operation. Other doors can be used to exit buildings but will not be manually unlocked for exterior access this semester. Signage will be placed on the manually locked doors directing individuals to the appropriate unlocked entrance.

Generally, electronic and handicap-accessible doors in academic buildings will be unlocked from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Administrative buildings will be unlocked from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Access and operational hours for the Campbell Student Union and Butler Library can be found online.

Access to residence halls will not be affected by these changes.

Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please contact us at 878-4311 or vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

I encourage members of the Buffalo State College community to nominate deserving colleagues for Buffalo State President’s Awards, SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, and Distinguished Faculty Ranks. Guidelines can be found on the Academic Affairs website. Please visit the Nomination Resources – Celebrations of Excellence section for helpful resources and tips for assembling nomination dossiers.

DISTINGUISHED FACULTY, CHANCELLOR’S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

1. Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching Nominations:
Due Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2020

2. Distinguished Professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor; Distinguished Service Professor; Distinguished Librarian; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service, Librarianship, Scholarship and Creative Activities, and Faculty Service nominations:
Due Date: Monday, October 19, 2020

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

Please note: For SUNY Chancellor’s Awards, nominators should prepare their nomination letters in the format of a Summary Presentation as specified in the SUNY Award guidelines. A Buffalo State Nomination Checklist Cover Sheet (PDF, 272 KB) should be the first page of all nominations.

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PRESIDENT’S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
President’s Awards for Excellence in Academic Advisement; Advancement of Equity and Campus Diversity; Career Achievement for Faculty; Career Achievement for Professional Staff; Faculty and Staff Mentoring; Graduate Research Mentor; Librarianship; Research, Scholarship, and Creativity; Service to the College; Teaching; or as an Undergraduate Research Mentor nominations:
Due Date: Monday, March 1, 2021

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

Questions may be directed to Carolyn Martino, executive assistant to the provost.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, Buffalo State College students, faculty, and staff members returning to campus in fall 2020 will find a changed environment, with limits on activity. In response to the pandemic, Buffalo State has developed a Campus Events and Visitors Protocol that is consistent with Erie County Department of Health and New York State guidelines. It provides guidance for visitors and members of the campus community interested in holding in-person events at Buffalo State. The goal of this protocol is to protect the health and safety of all at the college. The new protocol (DOCX, 87.5 KB) and associated guidelines and procedures are effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

Faculty and staff members are asked to please review the protocol as they consider hosting in-person events on campus. Members of the newly established Campus Events and Visitors Committee will review requests to hold events, assessing levels of risk.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to keep the campus community safe while providing our students with a rewarding educational experience.

Buffalo State College’s mission calls on us to be a beacon for the critical exchange of ideas on our campus, in our communities, and through the expansive reach of our connections.

As an institution of higher education, we recognize that the free expression of speech and the encouragement of various perspectives are critical to advancing our world; however, as many of us know, sometimes thoughts, ideas, and perspectives are expressed that seem inconsistent with who we are as a campus...

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

In order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the potential risk of exposure, all employees planning to report to campus must complete a daily screening questionnaire about two hours before their expected arrival time.  

The screening questionnaire is now available in an online version. Beginning Tuesday, September 8, the questionnaire will be e-mailed to all employees each morning.

Only on days when you plan to report to Buffalo State, please complete the questionnaire approximately two hours before you expect to arrive on campus. 

On days when you do not plan to report to campus—including on days when you will work remotely—it is not necessary to complete the screening questionnaire.

A printable version (PDF, 105 KB) of the screening form is also available and may be substituted for the online version.

Please note: Research Foundation (RF) employees at Buffalo State should continue to use the RF system for reporting the results of their health screening on days when they plan to report to an on-campus or off-campus work location other than home.

Questions about this important safety measure may be e-mailed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.  Thank you for your cooperation as we work to provide a safe and healthful environment for Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff.

One of the essential features of the Bengal Success Portal is the Student Progress Report. This early alert tool enables faculty members to proactively inform various constituents (e.g., students, professional or faculty advisers, Residence Life, Special Programs, Information Technology, Financial Aid) about signs of academic, personal, health, or financial difficulty early in the semester.

Students and others in their support networks will receive e-mail notifications when flags are raised. Upon receiving an e-mail alert, students can take immediate actions to seek the necessary assistance to improve their performance. Depending on the flag raised, other constituents may be expected to conduct outreach to support students in enhancing their academic preparation, to address personal or health concerns, or to refer students to the necessary support service departments. These collective efforts by students and constituents are aimed to proactively identify concerns, resolve them in a timely manner, and close the loop of communication, enabling the student to achieve success.

The Student Progress Report has been deployed to all instructors and will remain open until Sunday, September 27. An e-mail notification with the link has been sent to all faculty members. Instructors can view their class lists, indicate whether a student has encountered an issue, or award a student “kudos” for a job well done.

Instructors, please complete the Student Progress Report within the time allotted. Your feedback might provide that extra “nudge” to retain students and put them on the path to success.

Questions related to the Student Progress Report and the process of completing it can be directed to Gabriel Marshall, senior adviser for student success and retention, through e-mail at bengalsuccess@buffalostate.edu.

This video details how to complete a Student Progress Report.

The division of Student Affairs is excited to announce that Homecoming 2020 will take place the week of September 21–26.

This year’s theme, “Bengals, Always Together,” highlights the unbreakable bond that being a Bengal holds. In times of physical distancing and remote interactions, our Buffalo State College community remains connected. Our Bengal community will be able to enjoy Buffalo State College Homecoming without leaving home. Buffalo State will host this year’s Homecoming in a hybrid format with a mixture of virtual and limited in-person activities that adhere to local, state, and federal guidelines. The health and safety of our community is our highest priority, and all on-campus activities will be grab-and-go style in order limit density and maintain physical distancing guidelines and protocols. 

The weeklong celebration of our amazing Bengal community near and far will include the following activities: 

• Chalk the Plaza!
• Live in the Plaza: Benji’s Birthday Party
• Virtual Bengal Trivia Night
• Live in the Plaza: USG Bengal BBQ for Students
• Office Door Decorating Contest
• Live in the Plaza: Postcard to Parents
• USG Virtual Bingo
• USG Bengal Drive-Through Celebration 
• Celebrating the Buffalo State College Class of 2020 through Virtual Commencement Ceremonies
• eSports Championship Saturday

More information on this year's schedule can be found on the Homecoming and Family Weekend website.

Buffalo State’s 149th Bengal Birthday Bash - September 22
Buffalo State College's 149th birthday is September 13, 2020. We will be celebrating alongside Homecoming week with singing and cupcakes on Tuesday, September 22, from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Student Union Plaza. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join the celebration. 

Department and Office Door Decoration Contest
In addition to joining our activities during the week, we encourage campus departments and offices to participate in the Homecoming Door Decoration Contest.

Doors are to be decorated by Tuesday, September 22, with judging to take place on Wednesday, September 23, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Decorated doors will remain on display throughout the week of Homecoming. Judging will be based on best overall design and best use of the theme, Bengals, Always Together.

Please register online for the Office Door Decoration Contest, and contact Student Leadership and Engagement with any questions regarding Homecoming.

Buffalo State’s 150th Anniversary and Homecoming
As we celebrate Homecoming 2020, we are also looking forward to celebrating next year’s Homecoming as part of Buffalo State’s 150th anniversary! The campus is planning for a year of special events, speakers, performances, athletic competitions, and more. We will also kick off our 150 Voices project, which reflects on our accomplishments and the impact we’ve had on our community. For more information on the celebration, please visit Buffalo State’s 150th Anniversary website.

As required under the Higher Education Opportunity Act, this message shall serve as official notification to the campus community regarding illegal file sharing and copyright infringement.

Do you use your campus computer to share music, movies, or software over the web? Did you know that you may be violating federal copyright law?

Copyright infringement carries both civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense. For more information, please see the U.S. Copyright Office website, especially the FAQ section.

Although there are legitimate uses for file sharing and peer-to-peer technologies, please be aware that the campus Policy on the Use of Electronic Resources (PDF, 84 KB) prohibits use of the network for copyright infringement or software piracy. When you log in to a machine on the campus network or connect to the campus wireless, you are responsible for the use of your computer and your connection. Please see the Information Technology website for guidelines regarding use of the campus secure wireless network.

If we receive a complaint identifying your computer as sharing copyrighted materials, we’ll meet with you to help you remove the offending materials and software. Repeat complaints will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Clear violations of the Electronic Resources policy that are not promptly remedied may result in termination of network access for the person(s) at fault and referral for disciplinary actions as appropriate.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) websites have information about their current activities and some background on why they are working to prevent the theft of creative content. Please see the IT Knowledge Base for more information on peer-to-peer file sharing and copyright infringement.

There are legal alternatives. Several legal sources of online content can be found on the Educause website.

Please know that we are here to assist you. We hope you have a productive semester.

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.