Buffalo State College has once again joined with SEFA/United Way to promote this year’s campaign. We are now in the final days of accepting pledges for this comprehensive service-oriented organization that touches the lives of our community in so many ways. 

This year we set a fundraising goal of $100,000, and to date we have raised $81,734.33. WE ARE ALMOST THERE! We are $18,265.67 short of our goal, but if each employee at Buffalo State contributes just $13, we will reach that goal. Please consider supporting this time-honored way of giving so many gifts to so many people. The deadline is tomorrow, so consider giving TODAY!

Let’s go, Bengals! $13 to see 1300 Elmwood meet its goal!

Donation link

I am pleased to announce that Kathy Wood, associate dean of the School of Education, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Dr. Wood was nominated for the award by Wendy Paterson, dean of the School of Education.

I am so pleased to recognize Dr. Wood, 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.

Nominations for the President's Caring Bengal will be collected again during the spring 2022 semester. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

I am pleased to announce that Celestine Simmons, administrative assistant for the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Ms. Simmons was nominated for the award by Amy McMillan, director of the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program; Matthew Baran, assistant director of the Muriel A. Howard Honors Program; Carol Beckley, associate professor of theater; Franchesca Ovalle, honors student; Leigh Duffy, assistant professor of philosophy; and Elizabeth Stevens, senior academic adviser for academic success.

I am so pleased to recognize Ms. Simmons, 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.

Nominations for the President's Caring Bengal will be collected again during the spring 2022 semester. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

In the December meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee (INR) brought forth for a vote, the New DOPS Policy on Online and Hybrid Course Offering. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution presented by the INR Chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on December 10, 2021. The supporting documentation and policy are presented via this memo.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS

Policy Number: new
Date: 2021
Subject: Online and Hybrid Course Offering

WHEREAS, SUNY has an initiative to expand online course and program offerings to increase opportunities for online learners, and

WHEREAS, Buffalo State does not currently have a college-wide policy for faculty who plan to teach online or hybrid courses.

BE IT RESOLVED that the following policy be adopted for Online and Hybrid Course Offering.

Buffalo State College
TITLE OF POLICY: Online and Hybrid Course Offering

Category: Curriculum
Date Established: TBD
Responsible Office: Academic Affairs
Date Last Revised: NEW

Policy Statement
Buffalo State College is committed to providing quality graduate and undergraduate online courses. To help ensure the highest quality online learning experiences for students, the following development and review process shall apply to all academic credit-bearing courses, course sections, and degree programs offered partially or fully online. 

Each distance education course or program must be offered in a manner that is consistent with the standards established by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) as well as SUNY, New York state, and federal requirements, and specific standards of program accrediting bodies.

Timeline
Online and hybrid course design and development is time-intensive. Completion of the requirements below will follow a timeline and process established by Academic Affairs.

Requirements

• Intent and Approval to Offer an Online or Hybrid Course
   Intent to teach a new or existing course as an online or hybrid course in
   its inaugural semester must be communicated by the instructor to the department
   chair. The instructor will submit a rationale to the department chair that includes
   a description of how online instruction will provide a benefit to the student’s learning
   experience. The department chair, in consultation with the associate dean, approves
   the online course offering. Approval will be made prior to the “department input
   window” within the Master Schedule Preparation document for the appropriate
   semester.

•  Online Teaching Credentials
    All faculty teaching an online or hybrid course must document
    credentials in this delivery method (e.g., completion of online course
    development series, prior experience and credentials from an outside
    institution or reputable organization in online teaching and learning)
    which should be on file within Academic Affairs.

• Faculty are encouraged to take advantage of additional training, workshops, and certifications to continue to ensure high-quality
  course delivery

•  Course Development
    Online or hybrid course development must be completed prior to the
    semester in which it will be taught to allow time for a course design
    review (see below). This will help ensure that during the semester the
    course is taught, the instructor is using effective instructional delivery,
    ensuring active engagement between students, instructor, and content,
    and providing substantive feedback to students.

•  Review of Online and Hybrid Course Design
    Once the course is developed, the instructor will engage in a course
    design review through Academic Affairs.  The course design review
    process focuses on how pedagogical best practices can be applied to
    online or hybrid courses. Feedback from this review will be provided to
    the instructor and the chair of the department.

Assessment of Teaching
Teaching effectiveness is one of the components evaluated for personnel actions such as re-appointment and promotion. The same standards established by the Curriculum Committee and the department should be used regardless of instructional modality and should be a regular part of the department’s assessment plan. Assessment should be focused on student learning outcomes.  Whole course student evaluations are to be distributed electronically to online or hybrid courses to gather feedback from students to support continuous improvement.

Links to related policies and resources:

Course Procedures and Grading Policies DOPS I:16:00

New & Revised Course Proposals DOPS IV:02.00

Guidelines for Documentation of Teaching Effectiveness DOPS VI:04:04

Distance Education Policy DOPS IV:07:00

Instructional Modalities DOP IV:07:03

ADA Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

SUNY Online Learning Data Definitions

Instructional Design & Distance Learning

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

In the December meeting of the College Senate, University Faculty Senators Kimberly Kline and Amy Rosen-Brand presented a UFS approved resolution 189-05-1-In Support of AAUP Joint Statement, for Buffalo State College to adopt this resolution. The Buffalo State College Senate voted in favor to adopt this resolution.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: new                                     
Date: October 2021
Subject: Adopt UFS resolution 189-05-1-In Support of AAUP Joint Statement

RATIONALE:

WHEREAS, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) issued a June 16, 2021, statement jointly with more than 100 scholarly associations and organizations stating their “firm opposition to a spate of legislative proposals being introduced across the country that target academic lessons, presentations, and discussions of racism and related issues in American history in schools, colleges and universities”; and

WHEREAS, the SUNY University Faculty Senate (SUNY UFS) has a long history of supporting academic freedom, including critical examination of history; and

WHEREAS, as Faculty of the University we are obliged to “participate significantly in the initiation, development and implementation of the educational program,” and we seek to encourage the exchange of ideas and develop the critical thinking skills of our students; and

WHEREAS, equity and inclusion in higher education, including an unflinching look at racism in the American past and present, is a crucial element of UFS’s mission for the future of SUNY; and

WHEREAS, in the past 24 months SUNY UFS has passed multiple resolutions in support of racial equity on college campuses and in college classrooms, including Resolution 186-01-1, Resolution 187-03-01, and Resolution 187-04-01;

RESOLUTION:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the SUNY University Faculty Senate, supporting the letter and spirit of the “AAUP Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism and American History,” will add their name as formal signatories to the statement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SUNY UFS calls on SUNY campus governance bodies to individually endorse the AAUP Joint Statement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the SUNY UFS calls on its President, Officers, Executive Committee, campus governance leaders (CGLs), and Senators to use their positions as higher education leaders to educate their communities on the dangers of such described legislation and the importance of racial equity and academic freedom.

BACKGROUND:

AAUP Joint Statement on Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism: https://www.aaup.org/news/joint-statement-efforts-restrict-education-about-racism
SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees Art. X. § 4., 2021 https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/boardoftrustees/SUNY_BO T_Policies_August2021.pdf
SUNY UFS Resolution 186-01-1
https://system.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/faculty-senate/plenary/18 6-01-1_eid_racial_equity_and_social_justice_curriculum.pdf
SUNY UFS Resolution 187-03-1
http://www.sunyufs.us/uploads/1/1/6/9/116933050/187-03-1_blm_board_of_trustees_bl ack_lives_matter.pdf
SUNY UFS Resolution 187-04-1
http://www.sunyufs.us/uploads/1/1/6/9/116933050/187-04-1_university_faculty_senate_ black_lives_matter.pdf

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

In the December 2021 meeting of the College Senate, the College Senate Curriculum Committee (CSCC) brought forth for a vote the Revision to the DOPS Policy IV:01:01- Change In Status of Academic Programs: Merger, Deactivation, and Discontinuation (Formerly Academic Program Elimination). The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution presented by the CSCC Chair Senator Dianne McCarthy on December 10, 2021.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: IV:01:01                                         
Date:  Revision 2021
Subject: Change In Status of Academic Programs: Merger, Deactivation, and Discontinuation (Formerly Academic Program Elimination)

WHEREAS, The College Senate Curriculum Committee (CSCC) was charged by the Chair of the College Senate in Fall 2020 to review and update DOPS Policy Number: IV.01:01 in order to increase transparency and accountability when considering a change in status of an academic program;

WHEREAS, the policy was revised and passed by the Senate in May of 2021

WHEREAS, The resolution has been reviewed by the Provost and President and were sent back to Senate in June 2021 for further discussion and comment with suggestions

WHEREAS, the current policy did not have a clause allowing for a shorter time frame for the process in the event of financial emergency nor a definition of financial emergency.

WHEREAS, the current policy does not specify a time limit for completion of the process programs could be left in limbo for an extended period.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Buffalo State amends its DOPS policy on Change in Status of Academic Programs: Merger, Deactivation, and Discontinuation as revised in this document.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this policy change would go into effect immediately upon approval.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: IV.01:01
Date: November 30, 2021
SUBJECT: Change in Status of Academic Programs: Merger, Deactivation, and Discontinuation

Purpose
These policies establish principles and processes for merging, deactivating, and discontinuing academic programs. These policies align with the College’s mission “to empower students to succeed and to inspire a lifelong passion for learning” and its dedication “to excellence in teaching, research, service, scholarship, creative activity, and cultural enrichment.” Given the exceptional nature of changing the status of an academic program, shared governance is vital for these processes to be conducted with open, honest, and considerate discussion. All academic programs are subject to the policies described herein.

Definitions

Academic Program: a structured set of educational requirements to qualify for completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees, which include courses within general education (e.g.,

Intellectual Foundations), major and minor programs of study, credential programs, and credit and non-credit certificate programs.

Deactivation: suspension of an Academic Program intended for a limited period (no more than 3 years) during which the program’s viability into the future is assessed. Deactivation Effective Date shall be announced at least 1 year (12 months) in advance. Intended outcome of deactivation is either Reactivation after internal review and reorganization, or Discontinuation.

Deactivation Effective Date: the first regular admission date for which new students will no longer be permitted to enroll in the program.

Deregistration: permanent elimination of an Academic Program from the State Education Department’s Inventory of Registered Programs after review and approval by SUNY.

Discontinuation: suspension of an Academic Program intended on a permanent basis leading to Removal of the program from campus once all current students in the program graduate. Discontinuation Effective Date shall be announced at least 1 year (12 months) in advance. The intended outcome of Discontinuation is permanent removal of the program from campus and Deregistration.

Discontinuation Effective Date: the last graduation date for which a credential for completion of the program is awarded.

Financial Emergency: when it has been determined by the budget committee that the college is in a condition of financial exigency as defined by AAUP and in keeping with their current recommendations for determining financial exigency. “A severe financial crisis that fundamentally compromises the academic integrity of the institution as a whole and that cannot be alleviated by less drastic means” than the termination of tenured faculty appointments (Recommended Institutional Regulations 4c). www.aaup.org (2021)

Merger: reduction of two or more distinct academic programs into a consolidated academic program, which may entail Discontinuation or Deactivation of the previously distinct academic programs.

Reactivation: lifting of suspension of an Academic Program after a period of Deactivation.

Removal: courses in an Academic Program are no longer offered on campus.

Suspension: status of an academic program that is not currently admitting or enrolling new students.

Shared Governance
Consistent with the ideas articulated by AAUP (1966), shared governance refers to “...appropriately shared responsibility and cooperative action among the components of the academic institution...and is intended to foster constructive joint thought and action…” While the consideration of a change of status of an academic program may be exploratory in nature, even informal exploration should involve discussions among the wide array of college stakeholders who have the potential to be impacted by that change (e.g., current and admitted students, faculty, staff, program coordinator, chairperson, and dean responsible for the program). If a decision is made to pursue a formal proposal to change the status of an academic program, processes parallel to those established for developing curricular proposals (new or revised courses or programs) shall be initiated.

Initiating a Change in Status
A formal proposal to change the status of an academic program may be initiated by the department chairperson, the academic dean, or the academic vice president who has authority over that program. A formal proposal may be initiated via memo announcing a proposed change in status, with copies sent to all relevant stakeholders (i.e., program coordinator, department chair, chair of College Senate, dean, provost). Once the memo is issued, the chairperson of the appropriate department and/or the chairperson of the relevant curriculum committee shall be responsible for holding meetings to determine stakeholders’ position on the proposal. Meetings with stakeholders are required to begin within 60 days of the release of the initiating memo and would be required to take place during the academic year. Final approval is expected within one academic year from the date of the initiating memo. In the case of a financial emergency a shorter timeframe may be accommodated.

A. If the proposal is initiated by the department with approval of the faculty, the department chairperson shall draft a statement containing the rationale for the proposed change in status and the anticipated impact (e.g., applicable components of the institution, community partners, academic field). This position statement shall be submitted to the associate dean, and shall become part of the documentation transmitted to each subsequent level of formal review. The department’s position statement shall be determined in conformity with department by-laws bearing on curriculum development matters. The results of these deliberations shall be put in writing with a full rationale for the position taken. The department’s proposal may be reviewed by other curriculum committees affiliated with the department (e.g., school-wide curriculum committee), consistent with departmental or school by-laws related to curriculum. Upon receipt of a proposal from a departmental or school-wide curriculum committee, the associate dean shall review proposals for a change in status. Proposals rejected at the dean’s level will be returned to the department with an explanation, with possibility for revision and resubmission. Change of status proposals that are approved at the dean’s level will be sent to the College Senate Office via the online workflow management system for subsequent review by the College Senate Curriculum Committee during the academic year and required to begin within 60 sixty days of the dean’s level approval This path for curricular proposals, also described in DOPS Policy IV.02.00, will apply to proposals for a change in status of a program.

B. If the proposal is initiated by the academic dean, a statement of rationale for the proposed change, together with a statement of how the proposed actions conforms to the broader academic plan of the college and the appropriate faculty, shall be forwarded by the academic dean to the chairperson of the academic department(s) affected by the change in status.

The academic dean will then determine whether or not to submit a formal recommendation for changing the status of the academic program to the academic vice president. If the academic dean decides to recommend in favor of the change in status, the dean must submit a written recommendation to the academic vice president, with a copy to the department chairperson. The recommendation shall include the rationale for the change in status, an assessment of the anticipated impact of the change on the department and program faculty and on the rest of the college community, and a statement of how the recommended change conforms to the broader academic plan of the college. In addition, the dean shall attach to the recommendation copies of all correspondence required by this process.

Change of status proposals that are approved at the dean’s level will be sent to the College Senate Office via the online workflow management system for subsequent review by the College Senate Curriculum Committee during the academic year and required to begin within 60 sixty days of the dean’s level approval. This path for curricular proposals, also described in DOPS Policy IV.02.00, will apply to proposals for a change in status of a program.

C. If the proposal is initiated by the academic vice president, a statement of rationale for the proposed change in status shall be submitted to the academic dean of the affected program and department. All the procedures outlined in section B, above, shall then be followed. The administration shall, before any action is taken to change the status of an academic program, propose a course of action to the College Senate and publish its proposal in the College Bulletin. The proposed plan shall address, as appropriate, the impact on students, faculty, resources, and mission of the College. The College Senate shall be allowed full access to pertinent information and documentation. A timeframe parallel to that which is followed in reviewing course and program proposals shall be provided to accommodate responses from the college community. Such a time frame shall allow the College Senate and the College Senate Curriculum Committee to formulate its recommendation to the College President.

Applicable Legislation and Regulations

When the college discontinues a program, the State University of New York and the New York State Department of Education procedures and regulations for deactivation and deregistration will apply.

A. Each deregistration and discontinuance must be approved by the SUNY Provost.

B. If a proposed discontinued program is the sole program in a HEGIS disciplinary area at a campus, discontinuance requires approval of the SUNY Board of Trustees, but the campus retains its master plan authority in that HEGIS disciplinary area, and the re-introduction of programs in that HEGIS disciplinary area would not require a master plan amendment.

Appendix A: Factors to Consider for Change of Status Process

● Forms & processes to be kept separate from policy documents. The following are factors to consider when adopting the process of Change of Status

● Consider development of workflows for scenarios A, B, & C.

AAUP reports

AAUP Report on Financial Exigency, Academic Governance, and Related Matters

AAUP Report on Recommended Institutional Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure

Relevant Union Policies

● UUP Article 35 Retrenchment

Impact

● Administer faculty surveys at department level to assess impact of Change of Status Collateral Effects on said department and other departments and programs.

● Implications on curriculum, internal and external to department, including prerequisite and corequisite courses, and minor concentrations.

● Include an audit of Library subscription resources utilized/required by the program, through necessity or accreditation, to discern if Change of Status warrants cancellation of digital subscriptions or physical resources.

● Include audit of Information Technology resources and specific software utilized/required by the program, through necessity or accreditation, to discern whether cancellation of resources is appropriate.

● Include audit of Instructional Design resources utilized/required by the program, through necessity or accreditation, to discern if Change of Status warrants cancellation of digital subscriptions or physical resources.

● Assess impact of enrollment on athletics and arts/music programs.

● Assess impact on use of Science Labs & Equipment

Community Implications/Impact

● Assess impact on opportunities for student, civic & community engagement participation

● Assess potential for negative economic or social impact on local community

●Assess impact on Buffalo State’s Carnegie Community Engagement Classification,

●Assess impact on our ranking as a Higher Education Anchor Institution leadership, and Social Mobility Index

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.

Over the past few weeks, I have had productive conversations with deans, department chairs, and Senate leadership regarding faculty workload. I appreciate the concerns and recommendations that were shared. I am extremely thankful for all that faculty and staff have done and continue to do throughout this pandemic to keep our students engaged and on the path to graduation. I would especially like to thank the faculty for adjusting their workload in order to support the needs of campus, and although we are still in the midst of the pandemic, starting in fall 2022, we will return to pre-pandemic teaching load levels.

After numerous conversations with campus constituents and reflecting on the results of the campus culture survey, it is clear that we need a more meaningful and effective annual reporting system. Over the next 18 months, I will work with the deans, Senate leadership, and other groups on campus to review and overhaul the current annual reporting system to ensure that we capture the complete picture of all the great work done by faculty. This effort will build on the work that was started earlier in the year by the Enrollment Resource Planning Task Force (ERPT), which was tasked with defining critical aspects of faculty workload in the areas of teaching, service, and research/creativity.

The individual faculty workload planning process announced in the November 12 Daily Bulletin will be put on hold until the fall 2023 semester. After the new annual reports are reviewed by appropriate academic officers, the need for workload plans will be determined on an individual faculty basis.

Campuswide assessment of faculty teaching, scholarship, and service will ensure an equitable system of planning with individual faculty strengths at the heart of achieving our educational mission. Additional announcements will be forthcoming as we progress through this process.

Thank you for your support of Buffalo State College and our students. I wish you and your families all the best this holiday season.

Masks
All members of our campus community are reminded that, regardless of vaccination status, proper face coverings are required to be worn in all indoor spaces unless you are actively eating or drinking. Face coverings remain one of the best protections we have against the spread of illness, and it is critically important that we adhere to these protocols for everyone’s safety.

Vaccines and Boosters
COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments are available through New York state’s vaccine website. Employees who are receiving or have received the vaccine booster should be sure to update their vaccination information by completing the online vaccination form or providing a copy to Human Resource Management, Cleveland Hall 403. Acceptable proof is a copy of your completed CDC vaccination card or a screenshot of your NYS Excelsior Pass. This information will be kept confidential and will not become part of your campus employment records. 

Weekly Surveillance Testing
Employees who do not wish to disclose their vaccination status or who are not fully vaccinated must continue to participate in weekly COVID-19 surveillance pool testing.  

Employee COVID-19 Daily Screening Questionnaire
In order to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and reduce the potential risk of exposure, all employees planning to report to the worksite are required to complete this questionnaire daily before reporting to work.

Sign on to the Health Portal and click the COVID-19 tab to view the Employee COVID-19 Daily Screening Questionnaire or cut and paste the following link into your browser: https://weigelsp.buffalostate.edu

Current Isolation and Quarantine Guidance
If you test positive for COVID-19, please report your positive case to your supervisor and to Human Resource Management for appropriate contract tracing to be executed and follow your quarantine orders. Typically, you must isolate for 10 days past the onset of symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, then you must isolate for 10 days past the date that your test sample was collected.

Close Contact
Fully vaccinated individuals do NOT need to quarantine after close contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms; however, fully vaccinated people should get tested five to seven days after their exposure to the virus, even if they don’t have symptoms, and wear a mask for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Unvaccinated individuals must quarantine for 14 days if they are identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive. They should also contact their health-care provider to arrange for a COVID-19 test.

Unvaccinated people who are close contacts can leave quarantine after seven days under the following conditions:

• A COVID-19 test collected five days after exposure comes back negative and the person does not have any symptoms.
• Quarantine cannot end earlier than a full seven days—or on day eight. Accepted COVID-19 tests include NAAT (PCR) tests or antigen tests conducted and reported by a licensed laboratory.
• People leaving quarantine are encouraged to monitor symptoms and wear a mask when around others for two weeks following their exposure.

Erie County Testing information and a test site finder are available on the Erie County Department of Health website.

At-home test kits are available. The Erie County DOH has released guidance on how to appropriately report a positive at-home test. You must notify your supervisor and Human Resource Management of a positive test. 

Looking Ahead to Spring 2022
We are continuing our path forward for spring 2022. We must continue to be diligent in our efforts of mitigating risk and continuing to comply with all the health and safety requirements. We were successful in all our efforts in safely convening on campus for fall 2021, and we will continue our efforts for spring 2022. We thank you for your continued flexibility as we continue to uphold high standards for health and safety while we navigate this pandemic. All updates to guidance will be announced in the Daily Bulletin. 

To improve safety and security during the low-occupancy period from December 24 through January 2, access to campus buildings will be limited to main entrances, where electronic fobs and card readers are located.

These main entrances will be unlocked during regular business hours but will require valid fobs or identification cards at other times.

Questions may be addressed to vpfm@buffalostate.edu.

The Equity and Campus Diversity Office and the Civic and Community Engagement Office are opening the application process for two faculty Social Justice Faculty Externship opportunities for summer 2022. This summer partnership initiative focuses on collaborative faculty-community partner connections that deepen understanding and build opportunities to expand and strengthen equity and justice in our community. The faculty member and community organization each receive financial benefit and funds for materials through a summer partnership focused on learning and sharing. Faculty participants will engage in learning opportunities with community organizations that provide leadership in addressing issues of social justice, and will work to extend their learning to students through curricular change. At the same time, the organizations will benefit through faculty time and attention to a project using the faculty member’s skills and experiences. Please review details and application materials and contact me or Laura Hill Rao, director of civic and community engagement, with questions. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 15.