The next Bengal Business Forum is scheduled for Thursday, October 28, from noon to 1:00 p.m. This virtual meeting will provide a detailed update on the college budget and a status report on the 2022–2023 strategic resource planning process.

Buffalo State’s Bengal Business Forum provides an opportunity for members of the campus community to learn about and engage in 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 October 28 Bengal Business Forum.

Welcome to the ninth installment of “Faculty Engaged,” a multimedia project aimed at highlighting the extraordinary work of our brilliant faculty.

For this episode, we spoke with Kevin Williams, associate professor of earth sciences and science education and director of the new Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium in the newly renovated Science and Mathematics Complex. Dr. Williams takes us on a journey to the stars and beyond as he explains the ins and outs of the planetarium and how he uses it to engage with students across campus...

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

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the President’s Caring Bengal Award by 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 15. Please visit the award website for more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process or to submit a nomination.
 
Award Description
Each of us knows a faculty member, staff member, or administrator who transforms the work and personal lives of their colleagues by supporting them with compassion, care, respect, and collegiality. These caring colleagues in our community can be found at every level of our institution, and although they create positive work experiences for each person they encounter, their contribution to our community sometimes goes unnoticed. To recognize these supportive colleagues in our community, each month faculty, staff, and administrators across all ranks, unions, and titles can be nominated by a colleague or student to receive the Caring Bengal Award.

The Faculty and Staff Recognition Committee, which includes faculty and staff representation from UUP, CSEA, the College Senate, and the Professional Staff Caucus, will review award nominations and select the award recipient each month.

Spring 2021 Winners:
March 2021: Awilda Ramos-Zaggarigo
April 2021: Rita Sumers
May 2021: Sue Sims

Please contact Rebecca Eggleston, staff assistant in the Professional Development Center, with questions about the President’s Caring Bengal Award.

The Buffalo State College community is invited to attend “The Way We Were: Buffalo State’s 19th-Century History—Politics, Pedagogy, and Architecture” on Thursday, December 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Tower Auditorium. This special event is part of the college’s 150th anniversary celebration. The evening will feature presentations by Wendy A. Paterson, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education, and Paul McDonnell, AIA, retired director of facilities, planning, design, and construction for the Buffalo Public Schools. A wine and dessert reception will follow the program. The event is free, but tickets are limited. To reserve your seat, please register online.

A recommendation has been received from the dean of School of Education to change the name of the Career and Technical Education Department to Career, Technical, and Science Education to better reflect the mission and focus of the department. This change is recommended to become effective in spring 2022 and should be reflected in official documents.

A recommendation has been received from the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences to change the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department name to Earth Sciences to better reflect the mission and focus of the department. This change is recommended to become effective in spring 2022 and should be reflected in official documents.

A recommendation has been received from the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the dean of the School of Education (SOE) to move the M.S.Ed. in science education program from the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department in A&S to the Career and Technical Education Department in SOE. This move has been endorsed by both the faculty in the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department and the faculty in SOE and is recommended to be effective spring 2022. Kelly Frothingham, associate dean of A&S, and Kathy Wood, associate dean of SOE, will work with offices across campus to ensure a smooth transition. 

Buffalo State College students, faculty, and staff members are encouraged to review the college's emergency closings policy (PDF, 124 KB) and sign up for the Buff State Alert system to receive emergency notifications. If you have already signed up for Buff State Alert, please take a few moments to verify or update your contact information.

Because the weather in Western New York can vary greatly within just a few miles, there are times each winter when conditions on campus are favorable for classes to be held as scheduled, but some students, faculty, and staff members may experience difficulty traveling to campus. In those situations, students must communicate with their instructors, faculty with their students, and staff with their supervisors if they cannot travel to campus safely.

Students will not be penalized if they cannot attend face-to-face or hybrid classes in person because of severe weather but are responsible for making up any assignments, quizzes, or exams promptly, in consultation with faculty. Students are responsible for the prompt completion of any alternative assignments. If an absence situation between a student and instructor cannot be resolved, an appeal should proceed sequentially to the department chair, dean, and finally the provost. 

Faculty members who are unable to travel to campus are responsible for making alternative arrangements for their students. If a faculty member must cancel class(es), affected students should be notified via Blackboard and/or direct email as soon as possible.

During inclement weather, essential-critical employees are expected to report to campus at scheduled times. Non-essential and essential-remote employees who may be able to conduct work from an alternative location must consult with their supervisors in advance on all such decisions. Non-essential and essential-remote employees who do not report to work must communicate the absence to their supervisor and charge the absence to appropriate leave accruals, even when the college cancels classes and activities.

A recommendation has been received from the dean of the School of Education (SOE) to merge the previously independent departments of Social and Psychological Foundations of Education and Adult Education to better reflect the mission and focus of the departments. This change is recommended to become effective in spring 2022 and should be reflected in official documents. Kathy Wood, associate dean of the School of Education, will work with offices across campus to ensure a smooth transition.

The Grant Allocation Committee (GAC) requests proposals from individuals, departments, and student clubs and organizations for funding of programs, speakers, and events to take place during the 2021–2022 academic year.

The deadline to submit applications for spring 2022 proposals is Friday, November 12. Applications for funding and complete details of requirements may be found on the Student Affairs website. All proposals must be submitted electronically to marzolam@buffalostate.edu.

Questions about the GAC may be addressed to Amanda Marzolf, administrative assistant 2, (716) 878-4704.