The following message was shared yesterday with our graduating Class of 2021:

Dear Members of the Graduating Class of 2021,

I am writing today to announce that our spring Commencement ceremonies will take place virtually on Saturday, May 15, 2021.

We all had remained hopeful that the great progress that our state has made to date in the fight against COVID-19 would allow us to gather in person to celebrate your achievements; however, we are not quite there yet. We must continue to follow safety protocols and the advice of public health experts—avoiding large gatherings—to continue the great strides we have made so far.

Please know that we—the faculty, staff, and administration at Buffalo State College—are so very proud of you and your accomplishments, and we are working diligently to plan an engaging and meaningful celebration in your honor.

We sincerely appreciate your continued understanding. More information will be forthcoming. Please check your student e-mail and the Commencement website for updates regularly. We are always here for you.

Be well, Bengals.

Sincerely,
Katherine Conway-Turner
President, Buffalo State College

The next Buffalo State Bengal Business Forum is scheduled for Monday, March 29, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. It will be a virtual meeting featuring a detailed budget update and a status report on the 2021–2022 Strategic Resource Planning Process at Buffalo State College.

Buffalo State’s Bengal Business Forum provides an opportunity for all members of the campus community to learn about and engage with relevant business and administrative matters at the college. It is a place for issues updates, information sharing, and in-depth discussion about financial, administrative, and operational topics.

All members of the campus community are welcome to attend. Please register online to receive the Zoom information and meeting agenda.

We look forward to seeing you at the March 29 Bengal Business Forum.

Welcome to the next installment of “Faculty Engaged,” a multimedia project aimed at highlighting the extraordinary work of our brilliant faculty. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially disrupted our schedule, we’ve adapted, and today we are excited to share our seventh episode.

For this installment, we spoke with Saquib Ahmed, assistant professor of engineering technology, to learn more about his path to becoming a teacher, how he ended up at Buffalo State College, and how he engages with students...

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

Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation (S.2588-A/A.3354-B) on Friday, March 12, granting public and private employees time off to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Under this new law, employees will be granted up to four hours of excused leave per injection that will not be charged against any other leave the employee has earned or accrued. The legislation becomes effective immediately.

The SUNY Time and Attendance system has been updated to reflect a COVID-19 vaccination drop-down option in the Non-Chargeable Type category.

Use of the vaccination leave should be requested in advance and approved by the supervisor. While up to four hours of leave with pay is available for COVID-19 vaccination leave, not every employee’s situation will require the full four hours’ worth of allotted leave.

Please contact Al Galone, manager of payroll, 878-4124 (for CSEA), or Carey Seneca, interim manager of recruitment and classification, 878-3042 (for UUP), with questions about recording the non-chargeable leave on time and attendance records.

Dear Colleagues,

This is just a reminder that you still have time to complete the SUNY Sexual Violence Prevention Campus Climate Survey to help us foster a healthier campus community. As part of New York State's "Enough Is Enough" legislation, all Buffalo State College employees and students should have received the SUNY Campus Climate Survey via e-mail in mid-February.

This survey is intended to gather information about the incidence of sexual and interpersonal violence and knowledge of related policies and resources available on campus. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Your participation is voluntary. You may choose to skip questions or stop responding at any point.

Your answers are confidential and will be reported only in terms of groups of employees, rather than as individuals. This survey does ask some questions about sexual and interpersonal violence—both your own experiences and your experiences with students who have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence.

Some of the language used in this survey is explicit, and some people may find it uncomfortable. Information on how to get help, if you need it, appears at the bottom of each page and is available anonymously at any time on the Sexual Assault and Violence Response resource website.

Thank you for your honest feedback and responses. Your participation will help make our campus community a better place to live, work, and learn.

The Career Development Center (CDC) will host the 2021 Virtual Job and Internship Fair on Tuesday, March 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on BengalLink. This event is open to students from all majors and class years, as well as alumni.

Students can meet virtually with local, regional, and national employers recruiting for full-time, part-time, and paid internship opportunities. Over 30 employers will be in attendance this year, representing a diverse cross-section of industries.

The Virtual Job and Internship Fair is a great opportunity for our students to explore a variety of jobs and paid internships. Please encourage students to visit the CDC website to help them prepare for the virtual fair.

Questions about the Virtual Job and Internship Fair can be directed to Lynn Rogers, senior career counselor with the CDC.

I’m pleased to report that we are on track to officially launch the college’s new School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) on June 1. This milestone follows a yearlong effort to create the school’s infrastructure and appoint its founding dean, Brian Cronk. With Dr. Cronk now on board and the work of the School of A&S Task Force and the Transition Committee for SAS complete, we are prepared for a seamless beginning of classes this fall.

The list of courses reflecting the merger has been moved into Banner. From the students’ perspective, the course registration process remains unchanged. Students will continue to register for courses within academic departments. 

Through May 31, the schools of Arts and Humanities (A&H) and Natural and Social Sciences (NSS) will continue to operate as separate entities. Carlos Jones, interim dean of A&H; Julian Cole, interim associate dean of A&H, Scott Goodman, interim dean of NSS; and Kelly Frothingham, associate dean of NSS, have been working tirelessly to oversee the two schools through this transition. I want to thank them again for their efforts, as well as the members of the School of A&S Task Force, the Transition Committee, and the Committee of the Whole, who created, amended, and adopted all SAS bylaws. 

I am excited about this new era for Buffalo State College and the many benefits the new school will offer students and faculty alike. In a nutshell, combining the arts and sciences in the curriculum will improve students’ employment prospects and foster new skills in the space between these specialty areas. 

If you have any questions about the new school or the transition this summer, feel free to contact me. I would be happy to address any concerns.

I am pleased to announce that Awilda Ramos-Zagarrigo, assistant professor of exceptional education, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Dr. Ramos-Zagarrigo was nominated for the award by Raquel Schmidt, associate professor and chair of the Exceptional Educational Department.

I am so pleased to recognize Dr. Ramos-Zagarrigo, and I encourage the entire campus community to join me in thanking her for her exceptional effort to make Buffalo State College a great place to live, learn, and work. Her 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, April 2. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

It is with great optimism that I write today to share with you Buffalo State College’s intention to return to normal in-person operations for the fall 2021 semester.

With COVID-19 vaccinations becoming more readily available each week, including the expectation that anyone age 16 or older will have access to a vaccine by the end of May, we are hopeful for a robust fall semester with in-person classes, vibrant campus life, and a return to the workplace for faculty and staff.

As guidance from the governor continues to evolve, allowing places of employment to increase density, we are hopeful that we will be able to safely transition away from remote operations during the summer months and move toward an in-person environment for fall.

Of course, the health and safety of our campus community will remain our No. 1 priority. We will remain vigilant in adhering to guidelines from New York State, the Erie County Department of Health, and SUNY as operations progress toward an anticipated return for fall 2021. We will follow the counsel of public health authorities to ensure a safe semester for all, and proper precautions will be in place this fall. And if the guidance should change, we will be prepared, flexible, and able to continue to offer our students an engaging educational experience. 

As in fall 2020, you will be notified by your supervisor about when and how to return to campus. Unit heads should prepare for employees’ return to the workplace in cooperation with the offices of Human Resource Management and Environmental Health and Safety as well as the appropriate divisional leaders.

We will continue to keep you informed of our plans for the fall semester via the Daily Bulletin and on the Buffalo State Coronavirus Information website.

This pandemic has been a defining experience for all of us. Our campus community has demonstrated courage and perseverance, rising to many challenges and adapting to the new environment, all while continuing to provide outstanding service and support to our students. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to excellence in service.

As we prepare for the transition to the new School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) on June 1, Julian Cole, interim associate dean of the School of Arts and Humanities (A&H), will serve as the officer in charge of A&H through May 31. Dr. Cole will serve in this capacity in the absence of Carlos Jones, who is on leave until June.  

Dr. Cole will work with Brian Cronk, the new dean of SAS; Scott Goodman, officer in charge of the School of Natural and Social Science (NSS); and Kelly Frothingham, associate dean of NSS, to ensure a smooth transition to the SAS.    

In June, when Mr. Jones returns, both he and Dr. Frothingham will serve as associate deans of SAS in supporting Dr. Cronk’s acclimation to his new role. 

Again, I’d like to thank these four leaders, as well as the faculty members from both schools, for their efforts and commitment to the SAS, which I expect to be an asset for the entire Buffalo State College campus.