As many of you know, Governor Cuomo signed into law the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) on March 31, legalizing the possession and use of marijuana by adult individuals in New York State. The act is complex, and effective dates for some provisions are not immediate.

We remind all members of the campus community that this new state law does not change the fact that marijuana and other drugs are still not permitted on the Buffalo State College campus. Policies prohibiting the use, possession, or sale of marijuana on SUNY campuses have not changed.

While the state law authorizing adult use of cannabis by those age 21 or older became effective immediately, SUNY remains bound by its federal requirements under the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug Free Workplace Act (PDF, 134 KB).

Pursuant to these federal requirements and SUNY policy, the use, possession (in any form), cultivation, and sale of cannabis remain prohibited on SUNY campuses and subject to code of conduct or disciplinary actions.

This prohibition covers all SUNY property in public or in offices or residence halls, including university-owned and leased buildings, parking lots, and vehicles and at all SUNY events or while conducting university business, except for approved academic research.

SUNY System Administration and Buffalo State leadership are actively reviewing the provisions of the MRTA and will provide updates as information becomes available.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Yesterday we received word that out of an abundance of caution the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson one-dose COVID-19 vaccine because of a potential extremely rare adverse reaction. Our leading principle throughout the pandemic has been to follow the guidance of health professionals and to prioritize campus safety. New York State, the State University of New York, and Buffalo State College will follow the CDC and FDA recommendation and immediately pause the administration of J&J vaccine doses.

As a result, we are postponing all existing campus vaccine appointments while we await further guidance from the CDC, FDA, and New York State Department of Health.

As the CDC and FDA have said, any adverse events related to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine “appear to be extremely rare,” and “people who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.”

While no severe adverse reactions have been reported among students who have received the J&J vaccine at our campus clinics, we encourage anyone who has received the J&J vaccine on campus or at a community vaccine site to monitor their health for possible severe adverse reactions. If you experience any of the symptoms outlined above, please call the Weigel Wellness Center at (716) 878-6711 or your personal health-care provider, or seek emergency care if you are experiencing severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing.

Although campus clinics for the J&J vaccine are currently postponed, all adults in New York State are eligible to make appointments for the Pfizer (age 16+ are eligible) and Moderna (age 18+ are eligible) vaccines at state-run or county-run vaccination sites, or at area pharmacies such as Wegmans or Walgreens.

We will continue to provide updates and information regarding any resumption of campus vaccine clinics as they become available.

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, April 27, will be held electronically via webinar. Members of the public may view the board meeting via Zoom videoconference online or join by phone at (929) 205 6099 US (New York).

Minutes of the board meeting will be transcribed and posted on the College Council website.

Meeting ID: 949 5574 1633
Passcode: 654112

Agenda

1. Call to Order - Linda Dobmeier, Council Chair
2. Action Items - Linda Dobmeier
   Approval of the Minutes: February 9, 2021
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 excited to announce that Stanley Simmons, Say Yes coordinator in Academic Success, will present “How Students Succeed” as the next speaker in our Elevating Student Success in Our Current Environment Series on Thursday, April 22, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. via Zoom videoconference. The discussion will be moderated by Rita Zientek, interim dean of the School of the Professions. This series is co-sponsored by the Title III Task Force and the Professional Development Center. Please register through the Workshop Registration System.

What does student success mean at Buffalo State College? What are the individual ways that we cultivate student success at the college, and how can we as individuals apply these practices to our own work to support the students we serve? Join us as we learn from our colleagues their definition of student success and the specific practices we as staff or faculty members can apply to better support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of our students. Each conversation will involve a 10-to-15-minute presentation from a staff or faculty member focused on his or her definition of student success and effective practices that others can apply to their work with students. These conversations will then be followed by a 45-to-50-minute facilitated conversation by a member of the Title III Task Force about how we can apply these practices to our individual work with students. We will also discuss similar practices colleagues found to be effective and build off of the ideas presented to elevate these practices across campus.

About Stanley Simmons
Stanley Simmons is the coordinator of the Buffalo State Say Yes program and serves on multiple committees within the Buffalo Say Yes Organization. He is the instructor of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), Schools against Violence in Education, and the Alcohol and Other Drugs seminars at Buffalo State College. He holds a master's degree in school leadership and a bachelor's degree in elementary education along with certifications in mindfulness meditation and Prime for Life drug and alcohol awareness instruction. Mr. Simmons also worked as an assistant principal and dean of students in the public school system. Before entering the field of education, he earned certification in fashion clothing and textiles and achieved the distinction of master tailor. He is a member of one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world, Rotary International. He is also a past president of the Rotary Club of Buffalo Sunrise and currently serves as vice chair of the international exchange student program overseeing Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain. In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Mr. Simmons is an executive board member for Explore and More, the Ralph C. Wilson Children’s Museum, and regularly volunteers at the Buffalo Food Pantry, the Tour de Cure fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association, and Kevin Guest House. In his remaining spare time, he is writing a children’s book and a book on school safety.

Over the past few days, two unfortunate matters have converged in our physical and digital campus communities. Following concerns of perceived injustices within our Residence Life division shared on campus and on social media, and a jarring and hurtful comment by an instructor in a video circulating online, members of our college community, including me, are frustrated and disappointed...

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

Registration is now open for the 29th annual SUNY Conference on Instruction & Technology (CIT). CIT 2021 will take place virtually Tuesday through Thursday, May 25–27, with a special pre-conference day highlighting SUNY university-wide programs scheduled for Monday, May 24.

CIT is SUNY's largest and most prominent event on instructional technology in educating, providing a forum for faculty, instructional support professionals, and policymakers to present, discuss, and explore innovative avenues for integrating technology into the teaching and learning environment. This year’s theme, "Working Together to Prepare All Students for a Lifetime of Learning," is supported by the following tracks: 

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Emerging Technologies and Digital Strategies
• Measuring Effectiveness
• Open Education
• Pedagogically Speaking

Registration is just $25 for SUNY participants. SUNY Center for Professional Development (CPD) points are available to the Buffalo State College community to pay for registration. Contact Meghan Pereira, director of instructional design and distance learning, if you would like to request points for your registration. (Points are limited.) FACT² Scholarship opportunities are also available.  

To learn more about this virtual event, including the agenda and keynote speakers, please visit the SUNY CIT website.

We hope that our faculty and staff members will tune in to Bengalathon 2021, a fundraiser designed to provide emergency financial assistance and academic scholarships for Buffalo State College students, this Saturday, April 24, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Bengalathon will air live on WBBZ-TV and be livestreamed on the Buffalo State College Facebook page.

Visit Bengalathon.com for more ways to participate. Bengalathon 2021 has been a collegewide effort to highlight Buffalo State’s programs, students, and alumni in an effort to inspire donors to support the Student Emergency and General Scholarship funds.

One-of-a-kind auction items and experiences featuring the campus and more include the following:

• Buffalo State Art and Design Department student pieces
• Buffalo State Writing and Math Center student tutoring sessions
• Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium experience guided by Director Kevin Williams
• Burchfield Penney Art Center private tour and reception
• Jacqueline Vito LoRusso Alumni and Visitor Center rental
• Nutrition and exercise consultation sessions by Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics Department Chair Carol DeNysschen
• Virtual cooking lesson and meal kit for up to six people from Chartwells Dining Services
• Buffalo Bills private luxury suite for up to 15 guests
• A commissioned caricature created by renowned artist Philip Burke

You can bid on auction items and donate now through the Bengalathon website. Buffalo State staff members will also stand by to take calls for donations during the program at (833) GIVE-BSC (1-833-448-3272).

We look forward to presenting Bengalathon 2021 this Saturday and hope to surpass our goal in an effort to continue raising much-needed funds for our students.

President Conway-Turner announced to the graduating Class of 2021 and the Buffalo State community last month that our annual spring Commencement ceremonies will take place virtually on Saturday, May 15. This decision was made to keep our community safe against the continuing threat of COVID-19. Since then, the college’s Commencement Committee and planning teams have focused on presenting meaningful virtual ceremonies for each academic school and developing an in-person component to mark this most momentous occasion. I am happy to announce two important updates and a call for volunteers.

Ceremony Start Times and Links

• School of Arts and Humanities Baccalaureate Ceremony: noon
• School of Education and Individualized Studies Baccalaureate Ceremony: noon
• School of Natural and Social Sciences Baccalaureate Ceremony: noon
• School of the Professions Baccalaureate Ceremony: noon
• Graduate School Ceremony: 2:00 p.m.

Links for each ceremony and an online ceremony program booklet will be posted on the Commencement website on May 15.

Department chairs and program directors who are preparing virtual post-ceremony celebrations, please take note of ceremony start times to aid in your planning. All ceremonies are expected to run for approximately one hour. As a reminder, in-person or on-campus department gatherings are not permitted per current health protocols.

Commencement Stage Walk May 3–7
We have planned a special weeklong in-person event in the Campbell Student Union Plaza designed to recognize this year’s graduating class. During the week of May 3–7, graduates will have an opportunity to walk across a stage set up in the plaza and be photographed in their academic regalia alongside college leadership. In this way, we will be able to honor the requests of graduates to walk across the stage while following safety protocols. A professional photographer will be on hand to capture the moment, with photo package order forms available on site. Off-campus guests, however, are not allowed to participate in the Commencement Stage Walk.

Students interested in participating must register in advance and adhere to on-campus mask and surveillance testing protocols. Please direct students to the Commencement website for details and to register for a time slot.

Call for Volunteers!
What would our Buffalo State Commencement celebrations be without the support of our wonderful Bengal family? Volunteers are needed to make the Commencement Stage Walk event a success. Faculty and staff members who are interested in and comfortable coming to campus are invited to volunteer for one or more shifts throughout the week of May 3.

A variety of volunteer shifts, ranging from 90 to 120 minutes, are available starting at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 5:30 p.m. (On Tuesday, May 4, the last shift will extend until 6:30 p.m.) Volunteer duties include graduate check-in and photo orders, assisting graduates entering and exiting the stage, and assisting with queuing. Volunteers will receive a confirmation email with their assignments and reporting instructions. Masks, daily symptom checker, and weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing protocols will be in place for all volunteers, event staff, and students to create a safe and fun occasion for all participants.

Faculty and staff volunteers are encouraged to wear their academic regalia or Buffalo State gear to add to the festivities, though it is not required. Academic Affairs is unable to offer regalia loans because of continuing public health concerns.

Please register using the Commencement Stage Walk Volunteer form (log-in required).

Thank you for your continued support of our students and for honoring the graduating Class of 2021!

As you know, New York State is currently working to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible New Yorkers. With the recent expansion of criteria for appointment eligibility, this message is to remind you that all New Yorkers age 16 and older are now eligible to receive the vaccine.

The Erie County Department of Health and the Buffalo State College Weigel Wellness Center are pleased to announce that a limited supply of the Moderna vaccine will be available to Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff age 18 years and older starting Wednesday, April 28, from noon to 4:00 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union. Participants must be able to return to campus in four weeks to receive the required second dose of the vaccine.

Appointments must be scheduled online in advance. Walk-in appointments are not permitted. If you visit the clinic without an appointment, you will not be vaccinated. Appointments will be offered via the online system for as long as vaccine supplies are available. Please remember to complete all paperwork online ahead of time, bring your health insurance card and Buffalo State ID or driver’s license to the clinic, and wear a short-sleeve shirt.

Please note: eligibility for the Moderna two-shot vaccine is limited to those 18 years and older. If you are currently 16 or 17, please visit the New York State Am I Eligible website to secure an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine near you.

We strongly encourage all individuals to schedule their vaccine appointments before the semester ends and to do their part to protect themselves, their families, and their communities, both here and at home. We all want our campus and our communities to reopen safely as soon as possible, and vaccinations will help us achieve that goal. The best vaccine is the vaccine you can get as soon as possible.

I am pleased to announce that Rita Sumers, Nurse 1 in the Weigel Wellness Center, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Ms. Sumers was nominated for the award by Maria Garrity, senior systems programmer for IT Services, and Sarah Young, dean of students.

I am so pleased to recognize Ms. Sumers, 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. Monday, May 3. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.