The summer 2022 Orientation season is here, and we are excited to return to “normal” operations. Below are just a few reminders and some helpful information you can share in case you encounter students, families, or members of our campus community who have questions.

Our synchronous (in-person) sessions will commence Tuesday, July 12, and conclude Thursday, August 25. We will host eight in-person sessions in total. Sessions are as follows:

First-Year Student Sessions (two-day format beginning at 11:30 a.m. on day one and concluding at 4:00 p.m. on day two)
Wednesday, July 13–Thursday, July 14
Wednesday, July 27–Thursday, July 28

Transfer Student Sessions (one-day format beginning at 8:00 a.m. and concluding at 5:00 p.m.)
Tuesday, July 12
Tuesday, July 19
Tuesday, July 26

Community Sessions (beginning at various times)
EOP: Thursday, July 21–Friday, July 22
Fall Athletes: Thursday, August 18

Final Summer Session (Orientation makeup day: one-day format beginning at 9:00 a.m. and concluding at 5:00 p.m.)
Thursday, August 25

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Student Registration for Orientation
Upon submitting their deposit, students automatically receive an email that prompts them to self-register for their preferred session. (Please note that students identified as part of the special EOP or athlete Orientation sessions occurring this summer will be allowed to register only for those sessions.)

Students Unable to Attend Orientation
In addition to the seven summer sessions held in July, an in-person makeup session will be offered on August 25. We also recommend to students several tips to complete this summer for a smoother college transition.

Other Support Resources
Our asynchronous version of Orientation was once again made available to incoming students on Flipgrid. Reminders to access the content will be sent out periodically to students who have officially registered for a summer Orientation session. Instructions will also be posted on the SLE Orientation website. Content displayed on Flipgrid is meant to help acclimate students to the various campus departments and academic programs before Orientation. This is an effort to assist incoming students with making the most of their scheduled in-person session. This content will remain available to students throughout the semester. 

How You Can Help

• Volunteer to assist with summer Orientation. 
• Add items to the incoming student swag bag. 
• Staff a table during the summer Orientation student resource fair. 
• Reserve a table in our parent lounge. (You do not have to physically sit in the room the entire time; you can set up a table and leave information.)

If you are curious about what your department has planned for this summer’s Orientation, please connect with your departmental orientation committee member. These professionals also have access to the Orientation shared drive, which contains the most recent logistical schedules for the day.

If you have questions or need additional clarification, please email Shawnté Wilson, associate director of orientation and first-year retention programs, or Thomas Trzepkowski, assistant director of orientation and first-year retention programs.

The COVID-19 community and employee testing site in Buckham Hall, operated by Quadrant Bioscience, will permanently close as of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, June 30.

Weekly surveillance testing will still be required for any Buffalo State employee who has not yet voluntarily provided proof of vaccination to opt out of weekly testing. Vaccinated employees with a physical presence on campus who have not yet reported receiving their booster shot must test once a month or until they receive their booster and provide proof to Human Resource Management.

Beginning Friday, July 1, testing will be conducted using self-test kits. Test kits are available for pickup and drop-off at the University Police Safe Trade Zone, Chase Hall 126, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also pick up and drop off test kits at the Human Resource Management Office, Cleveland Hall 403, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tests dropped off after 2:00 p.m. will be delivered to the lab the following business day.

The weekly testing requirement for employees who have not provided proof of vaccination must be met by the close of business each Friday. The monthly testing requirement for employees who have not provided proof of booster must be met by the last business day of the month. 

To expedite the testing process, please register via the online portal. A user guide to the registration process (PDF, 2.4 MB) is available online. Individual test results will continue to be securely posted to the online portal, and test participants will be notified via e-mail when their test results are available. If you require assistance with the self-test kits, please email adminops@buffalostate.edu.

Please note: employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days are temporarily exempt from surveillance testing.

I am pleased to announce that William Altreuter, lecturer in the Political Science and Public Administration Department, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Mr. Altreuter was nominated for the award by Peter Yacobucci, associate professor of political science and public administration. I am so pleased to recognize Mr. Altreuter, and I encourage the entire campus community to join me in thanking him for his exceptional effort to make Buffalo State College a great place to live, learn, and work. His 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 Caring Bengal Award will be collected again in September. For more information about the award criteria and recipient selection process, or to submit a nomination, please visit the Professional Development website.

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

At the April meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy I: 06:02 Change of Major. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by interim committee chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on April 8, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:06:02                     
Date:  Revision
Subject: Change in Major
Original DOPS Policy: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect1/010602.pdf (PDF, 64 KB)

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:06:02
Date Revised: April 2022
Subject: Change of Major

Incoming first-year undergraduate students who want to change their major before the start of their first semester may initiate the major change process with the Academic Advisement Center. Continuing students who want to change their major after the start of their first semester may initiate the major-change process by contacting the academic department of the new major to gain the approval of the department chair.

If the department chair of the new major approves the change, a Change of Major Form will be forwarded by the new department to the Registrar’s Office for recording. Department chairs may refuse a student's request for acceptance to a major based on published requirements and prerequisites.   Students may initiate the change of major at any time but are encouraged to make the request to the new department at least two weeks prior to registration for the next semester to allow students to register for courses in the new major. Students are further encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office prior to requesting a change of major to verify the impact to their aid eligibility.

An undergraduate student on academic probation will not be permitted to transfer to a new major without the approval of the associate dean of the new major. For the student changing to undeclared the Associate Dean of the current major will assist the student to seek appropriate academic advisement.

Graduate students wishing to transfer from one degree curriculum to another must apply to the new degree program in accordance with established deadline dates and current admission requirements.

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.

At the April meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy I: 11:00 Degree Audit System (Degree Works). The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by interim committee chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on April 8, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:11:00                     
Date: Revision
Subject: Degree Audit System (Degree Works)
Original DOPS Policy: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect1/011100.pdf (PDF, 11 KB)

Revised DOPS Policy:                    
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:11:00
Date Revised: April 2022
Subject: Degree Audit System

Undergraduate and graduate students’ academic progress toward meeting graduation requirements is recorded in the degree audit system. The audit system can be access through the Registrar’s web page.  Copies of up-to-date audit sheets should be secured prior to academic advisement sessions. Necessary corrections or questions about the audit sheet information should be brought to the attention of the student’s academic adviser.

Useful website: Link to current audit system Degree Works at Registrar’s website: https://registrar.buffalostate.edu/degree-works

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.

At the April meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy VI: 11:00 Graduate Faculty. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by interim committee chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on April 8, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: VI: 11:00                 
Date: Revision
Subject: Graduate Faculty
Original DOPS Policy: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect6/061100.pdf (PDF, 27 KB)

Revised DOPS Policy:
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: VI:11:00
Date Revised: April 2022
Subject: Graduate Faculty

The graduate faculty of Buffalo State College, State University of New York, shall consist ex officio of the president, the vice president for academic affairs, the deans of the schools, and dean of the Graduate School, and those administrative officers or members of the academic staff of the college who have been elected according to the procedures and criteria established by the president of the college and defined herein. The graduate faculty shall be listed appropriately in the Graduate Catalog.

A. Criteria

1. Members of the graduate faculty shall possess earned doctorates or other terminal degrees in the field in which they are teaching or shall have demonstrated, in other widely recognized ways, their special competence in the field in which they direct graduate students.
2. Each department shall draw up minimum criteria of training, experience, and demonstrated scholarly activity for graduate faculty status for presentation to the dean of the Graduate School. Upon review of the criteria, the dean of the Graduate School shall forward each departmental statement on to the vice president for academic affairs for approval. Departmental requirements may be more stringent than the college requirements listed above.

B. Terms of Appointment

1. Permanent: Tenured faculty members nominated by their department, chair, and academic dean—and approved by the provost—receive permanent appointment to the graduate faculty unless and until that status is revoked by the department committee, department chair, or dean. For those departments that have only graduate programs, continuing appointment will be seen as permanent appointment to the graduate faculty.
2. Temporary: Tenure-track faculty and full-time lecturer appointments may receive terms matching the length of their current contract with the college. Adjunct faculty members may be nominated for a one-semester or a one-year appointment consistent with the terms of their contracts. Faculty members from other campuses receive graduate faculty status for a particular task, such as serving on a thesis committee or advising a thesis or project.

C. Guidelines

1. Nominations of members for the college’s graduate faculty shall be by the Personnel Committee and the department chair of the respective department. Each nomination shall include the candidate’s curriculum vitae and a list of graduate courses that he or she is qualified to teach (to be listed on the Graduate Faculty Appointment Form). These statements shall be filed in the Graduate School for review by accrediting bodies.
2. The appropriate academic dean shall evaluate each nomination in terms of the established criteria and shall recommend appointment to the vice president for academic affairs. Approval by the vice president for academic affairs will constitute election to the graduate faculty.
3. Members of the academic community funded solely by non-state appropriations shall be eligible for graduate faculty status. They shall be nominated by the members of the department in which they teach. The term of election to the graduate faculty will coincide with the term of the appointment to the department or the duration of the grant funding.
4. Faculty members from other institutions can be nominated to the graduate faculty as well. Nominations should proceed through the typical process, and the length of contract should coincide with the assignment being undertaken by the faculty member.
5. Members of the administrative staff who hold academic appointments and wish to teach in a graduate program shall be eligible for graduate faculty status on the same basis as the regular teaching faculty. They shall be nominated by the graduate faculty of the department in which they hold academic appointment.
6. Any member of the graduate faculty who wishes to teach graduate courses in disciplines other than those housed in the department to which he or she is regularly assigned may submit a request for graduate faculty status to the department offering those courses. The procedure for nomination and election is the same as that outlined above. Upon election, those faculty members shall be eligible to teach courses on an equal basis with members assigned to that department.
7. Permanent appointees can have their status revoked at the discretion of the department committee, chair, and dean.
8. Approval of graduate faculty status should be secured before a faculty member begins teaching a graduate class, serving as chair or member of the student's thesis or project committee, or serving as chair or member of a multidisciplinary studies program committee.

D. Rights, Privileges and Responsibilities

1. Graduate faculty members may teach graduate courses.
2. Graduate faculty members may serve on the Graduate Advisory Council, the main faculty group determining policies germane to graduate education.
3. Graduate faculty members may serve as mentors or readers for a master's thesis, project, or independent study for graduate students and assume the responsibility for constructing and evaluating comprehensive examinations.
4. Graduate faculty members may academically advise graduate students.
5. Graduate faculty members shall certify and recommend for graduation all graduate students who have completed the requirements for their respective curricula.

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.

At the May meeting of the College Senate, the Instruction and Research Committee brought forth for a vote a resolution to revise DOPS Policy I: 17:00 Academic Probation and Dismissal from College. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by interim committee chair Senator Gregory Wadsworth on May 13, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:17:00         
Date: Revision
Subject: Academic Probation and Dismissal from College
Original DOPS Policy: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect1/011700.pdf (PDF, 71 KB)

Revised DOPS Policy:
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: I:17:00
Date Revised: May 2022
Subject: Academic Probation and Dismissal from College

1. Good Academic Standing
All students not on Academic Probation are considered to be in good academic standing and are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities and are eligible to register for course work at Buffalo State.  

Undergraduate Academic Warning, Probation and Dismissal

2. Academic Warning
Many undergraduate students go through an adjustment period when beginning their baccalaureate studies at Buffalo State. Therefore, any student (including transfer students) whose first-semester GPA is less than 2.0 and who has not met any of the terms for academic dismissal from Buffalo State will be on Academic Warning in his/her second semester of study at the college. However, if a student’s GPA is less than a 2.0 and the student has met one or more of the reasons for academic dismissal from Buffalo State, the student may still be immediately dismissed at the discretion of the college. 

Students on Academic Warning are limited to registering for 15 credits per semester, unless special permission to register for additional credits is granted by their Dean’s office. In accordance with the Buffalo State Advisement Policy, students on Academic Warning may be subject to an advisement hold in order to encourage a discussion with the student’s academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may register for additional coursework at Buffalo State.  An extended Academic Warning semester may be granted at the discretion of the college if the student has demonstrated exceptional academic progress during the Academic Warning term.  Students on Academic Warning may be ineligible for financial aid based on failure to meet federal and/or state aid eligibility standards.

3. Academic Probation
An undergraduate student is on Academic Probation if the student’s cumulative Buffalo State GPA is less than 2.0 after the second semester of study at Buffalo State. However, if a student’s GPA is less than a 2.0 and the student has met one or more of the reasons for academic dismissal from Buffalo State, the student may be immediately dismissed at the discretion of the college without a probationary semester. A student on Academic Probation has until the completion of the next semester (i.e., spring or fall) to raise the cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or higher.

Students on Academic Probation are limited to registering for 15 credits per semester, unless special permission to register for additional credits is granted by their Dean’s office. In accordance with the Buffalo State Advisement Policy, students on Academic Probation may be subject to an advisement hold in order to encourage a discussion with the student’s academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may register for additional coursework at Buffalo State.  Students on Academic Probation may be ineligible for financial aid based on failure to meet federal and/or state aid eligibility standards.  Students on Academic Probation are not eligible to participate in extra-curricular college activities.

4. Academic Dismissal
Students are reviewed for Academic Dismissal at the end of each academic semester (fall, spring, and summer). Each dismissed student will receive official notification via U.S. mail to the student’s address of record with the college or the student’s Buffalo State email account, and all future academic-year registrations and on-campus housing reservations will be removed. Dismissal appeal guidelines and deadlines are communicated to the student in the dismissal notification sent by the student’s Dean’s Office.

Undergraduate students may be dismissed from Buffalo State for the following reasons:

1. Unsuccessfully completing (i.e., E, EV, F, U, I, N, X, or W) one-half or more of a semester’s work.
2. A cumulative Buffalo State GPA below 1.0.
3. Failing to satisfy Academic Warning or Academic Probation requirements.
4. Failing any course for the third time.
5. Failing to complete basic skills requirements (e.g., the Intellectual Foundation’s Basic Communication and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning requirements) by the end of their sophomore year.
6. Determination of an academic misconduct offense.

Undergraduate students who have been academically dismissed must wait one full year from the time of dismissal before being considered for readmission and/or non-matriculated enrollment at Buffalo State. If readmitted, all coursework taken previously at Buffalo State will be considered in computing the cumulative average, unless the student has opted for Academic Clemency.  All prior Buffalo State coursework, including clemency-bearing credits, will be used in calculating the readmitted student’s federal and state financial aid eligibility at Buffalo State. Readmission forms are available in the Admissions Office, Moot Hall.  

Graduate Academic Probation and Dismissal
All graduate students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale). A student is automatically placed on probation if the GPA falls below 3.0.

Matriculated full-time graduate students are given one semester, and matriculated part-time students are given 9 credit hours, to achieve a 3.0 GPA, provided total credit hours do not exceed the degree program requirements by more than 6 credits. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA within the specified time results in academic dismissal. In addition, failure to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation results in academic dismissal.

Pre-major (undeclared) graduate students must have a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 or more credit hours. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 or more credit hours of graduate-level coursework results in academic dismissal. Students with fewer than 12 credit hours automatically is placed on academic probation should the GPA fall below 3.0. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA by the completion of 12 credit hours results in academic dismissal. In addition, failure to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation results in academic dismissal.

After being placed on academic probation, nondegree graduate students have until the completion of the next semester in which enrolled to bring their GPA to 3.0. Failure to do so renders the students ineligible for further registration.

Graduate students who have been academically dismissed must wait one full year from the time of dismissal before applying for readmission.

Graduate students may be readmitted to the college only once after an academic dismissal. If readmitted, the students are automatically returned to academic probation if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0. The students then have one full-time semester or 9 credits of part-time study to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA and must maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA during each semester of academic probation. Failure to do so results in final academic dismissal.

Academic probation may also affect financial aid eligibility. Graduate students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards to receive federal financial aid.

Graduate students also may be dismissed from Buffalo State for determination of an academic misconduct offense.

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.

It was previously announced that internal fees for rooms in the Campbell Student Union were being implemented as of July 1, 2022. This communication inadvertently combined the approved external rental rates and internal rate plan that was still being discussed internally. At this point, internal rental fees have not been finalized and will continued to be reviewed; recommendations will continue to be developed in the context of an internal fee review process for the entire campus and considering the president’s recent budget alignment message. Currently, internal clients should not expect to receive a charge for use of rooms in the Student Union; however, if there are specialized needs for events being booked, costs may be assessed.

I apologize for the confusion and will provide an update once the president has approved any recommendation on internal fees.

A recent change in SUNY policy no longer requires students to have booster vaccination shots to attend in-person classes. The SUNY COVID-19 Vaccine Policy remains in effect and requires all students who will have a physical presence on campus to provide evidence of, at minimum, the initial course of COVID vaccinations or have an approved exemption on file with the Weigel Health Center. For more information and updates on COVID-19, please visit the Coronavirus Information website.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa Meehan as interim executive director of marketing and communications, effective July 21, 2022.

Ms. Meehan has been an integral member of the marketing and communications team for more than 20 years, most recently serving as web services director, a position she has held since 2006. She earned a bachelor of arts in English from Pennsylvania State University and a master of arts in communication from the University at Buffalo.

In her new interim role, Ms. Meehan will provide oversight for all aspects of the Marketing and Communications Office, as well as day-to-day management and coordination of traditional advertising and marketing initiatives, budget management, and serving as a liaison and strategic adviser to campus enrollment partners in Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Studies.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Meehan and wishing her well in this new leadership role.

Dahlgren Announces Resignation
Jerod Dahlgren, who has served as interim executive director of marketing and communications since September 2020 and communications director since September 2018, among other roles, informed me last month that he will be resigning from Buffalo State College on July 29. Mr. Dahlgren has accepted a position at the University at Buffalo as senior director of issues management and internal communications within UB’s University Communications office, effective August 1. Please join me in thanking Mr. Dahlgren for his dedicated service to Buffalo State over the past 15 years.  

Media Relations Interim Assignments
Michael Canfield, communications specialist, and Laurie Kaiser, assistant director of communications, have both been appointed to the title of interim media relations officer, effective July 21. Mr. Canfield and Ms. Kaiser will jointly serve as the primary media relations contacts for the college.

AVP Search
A national search for the college’s next assistant vice president for marketing and communications is underway. Deborah Silverman, chair and professor of communication, has graciously agreed to chair this important search committee. It is my hope that a successful candidate will be identified expeditiously and in the role by October. Once the assistant vice president is in place, we will launch a search to fill the communications and media relations leadership position that will be vacant following Mr. Dahlgren’s departure.