I am pleased to announce that the Earth Sciences and Science Education (ESSE) Department will change its name to Earth Sciences to better reflect the mission and focus of the department. This change is recommended to become effective in summer 2022 and should be reflected in official documents.
I approve the recommendation from the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and the dean of the School of Education to move the master of science in science education program from the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department in the School of Arts and Sciences to the Career and Technical Education Department in the School of Education. This move has been endorsed by both the faculty in the Earth Sciences and Science Education Department and the faculty in the School of Education and is effective summer 2022. Note, the move of two faculty members and their responsibility and budget lines and the transfer of responsibility for lab and storage space will take place in spring 2022. SOE will work with offices across campus to ensure a smooth transition for prefix changes and movement of student records.
Jonathan Hulbert, director of leadership and organizational development, is leaving Buffalo State College effective November 22 to become the organizational change management specialist at the University at Buffalo.
Mr. Hulbert has served Buffalo State for the last five years by expanding our employee professional development programs, facilitating department retreats, leading the Campus Culture and Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Study, providing leadership and management coaching, and coordinating the M/C annual review process.
Please join me in thanking Mr. Hulbert for his service to Buffalo State and join us at Campus House on Wednesday, November 17, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. to congratulate him. RSVP by email to Rebecca Eggleston, professional development assistant.
I would like to remind the campus community of our new "Paw Pass" program, an effort by Student Affairs and Chartwells Dining to connect our faculty members and students outside of their typical interactions in the classroom or during office hours. Paw Passes are complimentary one-time-use meal tickets that can be used by a faculty member to take a student to the Bengal Kitchen (located in the Campbell Student Union) for a meal. Faculty members can present this pass when they come to the kitchen along with their student guest. Seating is available inside the Bengal Kitchen, as well as on the patio outside the dining room.
This is a great opportunity to connect with a student who may be more hesitant to engage in the larger classroom, or who may have an interest in learning more about the topics related to your teaching and research. It may also be a chance to mentor or help a student continue to forge his or her connections at Buffalo State College.
Paw Passes are available in your dean’s office, and I encourage all our faculty members to participate and take a student for a meal during the fall 2021 semester. More information about the Bengal Kitchen hours, location, and special events can be found on the Buffalo State Dining website.
I am pleased to announce the members of the search committee for the position of vice president for enrollment management at Buffalo State College:
Chair: Rita Zientek, Interim Dean, School of the Professions
Fajri Ansari, Head Basketball Coach, Intercollegiate Athletics
Philip Badaszewski, Assistant Dean, Residence Life Office
James Finnerty, Vice President, Institutional Advancement
Kelly Frothingham, Associate Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Keli Garas-York, Professor, Elementary Education, Literacy, and Educational Leadership
Yanick Jenkins, Director, Educational Opportunity Program
Gabriel Marshall, Senior Adviser, Student Success and Retention, Academic Affairs
Leah Panek-Shirley, Assistant Professor, Health, Nutrition, and Dietetics
Gary Solar, Chair and Associate Professor, Earth Sciences and Science Education
The search process will be supported by WittKeiffer, a global executive search firm. Our lead consultant will be Shelley Arakawa, who will guide the recruitment and management of the search. In order to fully engage the campus, Ms. Arakawa will be meeting virtually with stakeholders across the campus during the month of November. The anticipated date to open the search will be early December, and I anticipate the appointment beginning July 1, 2022.
Please join me in thanking Interim Dean Zientek and all the members of the search committee for their willingness to take on this important task for Buffalo State.
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 under this funding cycle has been extended to Monday, November 22, for spring 2022 program proposals. 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.
As the college continues taking steps to implement the approved Retention Action Plan, Gabriel Marshall, senior adviser for student success and retention, will host two open forums for faculty and staff members to share feedback from the initial Retention Plan recommendation meetings and to share their perspectives on ways to enhance student success and retention.
Forums will be held Tuesday, November 16, and Thursday, November 18, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:15 p.m.) in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall South (third floor, across from the Dean of Students Office).
Please register for a session. Your feedback is valuable and essential to enhancing a culture of student success at Buffalo State College.
As we near completion of the fall 2021 semester and have settled into our new rhythm, I would like to extend a thank-you for your continued flexibility in all facets of delivering an outstanding education to our students. Your passion and adaptability during the previous year have aided the institution despite the pandemic. We have been navigating our new normal since spring 2020, and I appreciate the tremendous efforts put forth in keeping our students on a path to success. It is inspiring that we continue to adapt with the latest public health circumstances, and I ask that we continue to extend understanding, sympathy, and compassion as we navigate this year.
As we plan for the 2022–2023 academic year, the academic deans will begin to meet with department chairs and faculty to develop individual faculty work plans.
The DOPS Policy VI:23:00 states the following:
All faculty are expected to engage in teaching, scholarship or creative activity, and service. The specific mix of these various components is determined by the needs and policies of the institution, the needs of the students, the interests and skills of the faculty, the availability of resources and facilities, and various programmatic requirements. The teaching responsibilities for a department may vary from semester to semester. The numbers of courses taught on an annual basis is based on interrelated factors: programmatic requirements; availability of faculty and laboratory support staff; pedagogical norms of the discipline; importance of studio or laboratory experiences; level of instruction; and demand and historical patterns within the area. The expectation for teaching is six to eight courses each academic year. In addition, faculty members may be reassigned to other professional activities: research or scholarly activity that is expected to result in significant products in their field, significant administrative assignments or extraordinary service, or externally funded projects that benefit the department and/or the college. Decisions on reassignment from teaching are reached by department chairs and deans in consultation with faculty members.
The consultation meetings of chairs and faculty will occur over the course of the next few weeks in order to develop individual plans for the 2022–2023 academic year. I look forward to our working together to achieve our goals while fostering new growth and opportunities for our faculty and students alike.
As the college continues taking steps to implement the approved Retention Action Plan, Gabriel Marshall, senior adviser for student success and retention, will host two open forums for faculty and staff members to share feedback from the initial Retention Plan recommendation meetings and to share their perspectives on ways to enhance student success and retention.
Forums will be held Tuesday, November 16, and Thursday, November 18, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:15 p.m.) in the Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall South (third floor, across from the Dean of Students Office).
Please register for a session. Your feedback is valuable and essential to enhancing a culture of student success at Buffalo State College.
Since the middle of last summer through the beginning of this fall semester, members of the Institutional Planning Advisory Committee (IPAC) have been engaged in Phase 1 and Phase 2 processes of reviewing existing institutional data such as reports, plans, surveys, and recommendations from various campus committees and task force groups. This data has served IPAC members well in building a foundation upon which our Strategic Plan will be built. IPAC members appreciate the time and effort that our campus community has dedicated to providing opinions, recommendations, and expertise over the last several years to initiatives that support and improve Buffalo State College.
As IPAC moves forward through the phases of strategic planning, there will be additional opportunities for our entire campus community to engage in the process. Meetings and town hall events will be offered during fall 2021 and spring 2022. Please watch the Daily Bulletin for updates throughout the semesters.
Information regarding IPAC membership, the strategic planning process, and timeline can be found on the Institutional Effectiveness and Planning Office website. Please direct any questions to Kim Barron, assistant vice president for institutional effectiveness and planning.