Earlier this summer, the State University of New York announced updated COVID-19 protocols and guidelines for summer/fall 2022 operations. Buffalo State College has updated campus policies to reflect its ongoing progression through the pandemic.

Buffalo State’s guidelines are based on the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health, and SUNY. This fall will feature several changes. For instance, we will no longer use seating charts in classrooms, nor will we conduct contact tracing. Additionally, students will no longer use COVID-19 symptom trackers.

Buffalo State has established a COVID-19 task force, as we continue to monitor and recover from the pandemic. The task force will focus specifically on COVID-19 and allow campus to quickly adjust to any changing federal, state, local, or SUNY guidelines. This will allow the campus to prepare for other potential emergency situations. Recommendations made by the task force will be reviewed by the Emergency Response Planning Group (ERPG) before consideration by me.

All members of the campus community are urged to familiarize themselves with the following guidelines and to stay informed of any changes. As always, the health and safety of the campus community remains paramount. The college may adjust its health guidelines, as needed, based on new scientific evidence and the course of the pandemic.

Vaccination Requirements

• Students who live on campus or who come to campus for classes or activities are required to complete their primary COVID-19 vaccination series and are strongly encouraged to get boosters when eligible, in accordance with SUNY guidelines.
• Employees are strongly encouraged to stay up to date with their vaccinations, including getting a booster shot when eligible.
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is not required to attend campus events.

COVID-19 Testing

• The college will not require return-to-campus testing.
• Students with medical or religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement and who live on or come to campus must participate in COVID-19 testing. Rapid antigen COVID-19 test kits will be available for students who have met the waiver requirement at the welcome area (Information Desk) of the Campbell Student Union. Students with a COVID-19 immunization waiver must test weekly.
• If a student receives a symptomatic test, a PCR test will be administered at the Weigel Health Center.
• Rapid antigen COVID-19 tests kits are available for any college employee in Human Resource Management, Cleveland Hall 403, during business hours, and are available 24 hours a day in Chase Hall at the Safe Trade Zone.

Masks

• Students, faculty, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are not required to wear masks in most settings, indoor or outdoor. Anyone who wishes to wear a mask on campus is welcome to do so.
• Individuals who are not up to date on their vaccinations or are immunosuppressed are encouraged to wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask in indoor settings.

Off-Campus Settings

• Students enrolled in any program or course, or who are participating in a clinical or internship, at an off-campus location must comply with all health and safety guidelines in place at the location, including any vaccination or testing protocols.

Monitoring Your Health

• Monitor your health, and stay home if you’re sick.
• Any student who receives a positive COVID-19 test result must isolate and report it to Weigel Health Center.
• Any employee who receives a positive COVID-19 test result must isolate and report it to his or her supervisor and to Human Resource Management. HR will provide additional guidance.

Quarantine and Isolation 

• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must follow the CDC’s guidance for isolation or quarantine.
• The college has designated campus housing where residential students can isolate or quarantine if they have tested positive for COVID-19.
• Commuter students who have tested positive for COVID-19 are advised to isolate or quarantine at their residence.
• Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 are advised to isolate or quarantine at their residence.

Compliance

• Incidents of noncompliance with any college protocols will be adjudicated through Buffalo State’s Code of Conduct process for students and through the Human Resource Management Office for employees.

Additional details and protocols for the fall semester can be found on Buffalo State’s Coronavirus Information website. Students should check their email for updates from Student Affairs, Residence Life, and their faculty members.

As we have through the last few years, Buffalo State will remain flexible and ready to adjust its plans should conditions change. The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff will continue to be our top priority.

We look forward to seeing everyone on campus soon. The fall semester begins August 29!

The offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Studies will host two in-person Fall Open House events on Saturday, October 8, and Saturday, November 19.

New This Year
We will host prospective high school students, transfer students, and students seeking a graduate degree at these Fall Open House events. This notice is being sent to department chairs and secretaries, and we ask that one individual only in your department complete the registration.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Please confirm the attendance of your department at our in-person Open House events by completing the In-Person RSVP Form.
2. On the RSVP form, please indicate the following:

• If you need electricity at your table. We will ensure that you have access to electricity if needed; however, you must make your own arrangements with Information Technology, (716) 878-4357, regarding audiovisual devices. 
• If your department would like to offer additional demonstrations, exhibits, or seminars in other buildings. 

Important Information for In-Person Open House Events

• Academic departments will set up in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall (upstairs). We seek your assistance in staffing your department’s table during the event. 
• We would also like to encourage each department to bring a current student to participate—displaying work, showcasing research, or enthusiastically sharing their experiences as a Buffalo State student.  
• Each department will have a specific table identified for it. 
• We plan to have departments greet guests at their tables from 9:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. We ask that setup be completed by 9:30 a.m. so that you have time to enjoy refreshments. Social Hall doors will open at 9:45 a.m. Until that time, no early visitors may enter the Social Hall. Please allow extra time for setup, as materials will need to be transported upstairs in the Social Hall. Please feel free to use the elevator in the Student Union when necessary. 

If you have questions, please contact Tom Karanas, assistant director of admissions. We know this is a busy time for all, and we appreciate your attention to and support of Open House as we continue to find new and innovative ways to connect with prospective students and their families.

Buffalo State College’s Anne Frank Project is pleased to announce the schedule of events for the 14th annual social justice festival, AFP 2022: Healing through Stories, in person October 12–14.

New York Times best-selling author Nic Stone, the first in the Donn Youngstrom featured speaker series, will kick off the festival with a community keynote on Tuesday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m. in Burchfield Penney Art Center’s Tower Auditorium. A Q&A and book signing will follow the lecture.

AFP’s annual festival is an experiential exchange of ideas with a focus on processing theory into practice. We share diverse performances, workshops, and exhibits that actively engage participants in kinesthetic learning opportunities that connect to the festival's theme, AFP’s mission, and the story of Anne Frank.

As we make our way into our new post-COVID lives, the wounds of the past two years surface regularly. We cannot ignore the multiple impacts of isolation, loss, grief, anxiety, and frustration. The 14th annual social justice festival features how broken stories can be put back together. Sessions focus on what has healed and what can heal the individual, group, national, and global wounds. This sharing of unique skill sets, knowledge, and approaches to healing is in direct alignment with President Conway-Turner’s JEDI commitment (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion).

Remember, it was Anne Frank’s wish to “repair the world.” Participating in this year’s festival is a way to actively respond to this challenge.

To learn more about the Anne Frank Project, please visit the AFP website. Follow Instagram @annefrankproject and Twitter @annefrankprjct for regular updates about events and presenters. Please contact Jonise Hall, festival coordinator, with questions about the festival or schedule.

Welcome to the first edition of the Buffalo State Marketing Minute, where we share recent promotional activities undertaken by the Marketing and Communications Office. I’ll be releasing this a few times a semester to keep you up to date on some of the initiatives coming out of Marketing and Communications. 

Since we have just a minute, let’s get right to it!

Welcoming street pole banners are up across campus to greet new and returning students. Our 150th celebration banners are being intentionally re-homed for events and posterity in the Alumni Center, the library archives, and other campus offices. If you’d like a 150th banner for your office or department, please email Marketing and Communications.

We’ve been sharing some great content, including academic highlights, student profiles, scenes from orientation, summer internships and programs for students, and more, across social media. In addition, Buffalo State is now on TikTok! Please feel free to help spread the word and share posts in your own social feeds.

July-August Social Metrics
Posts: 214
Impressions (views): 380,572
Engagements (shares/likes): 13,665

Three new “Students Who Soar”—Troy Button, Mikayla Thompson, and Karina Zayas—multimedia profiles are available on the college’s News page and YouTube channel. Our most recent Faculty Engaged profile features Arlesa J. Shephard, associate professor of fashion and textile technology. Please share these compelling stories on your office or department website and via social.

The summer issue of 1300 Elmwood is available online and in print. 1300 Elmwood earned best of category at the 2022 SUNYCUAD Awards for Excellence, the annual awards program that recognizes top marketing work from across SUNY’s 64 campuses. The printed magazine mailing list is limited due to funding, so please come and see us in Cleveland Hall 307 if you’d like hard copies to share.

And, finally, summer saw an uptick in paid advertising to support student recruitment, including the following completed campaigns:

• July: Find Your Path Back to Teaching
  Targeted LinkedIn ads, newspaper placements, news story and media pitch, and WBFO radio spots to promote the School of Education’s summer “Find Your Path Back to Teaching” event.
• July–August: Graduate - Still Time to Apply
  Targeted LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram ads, Channel 2 and WBFO radio spots, and digital billboards on the I-190 and NYS Route 33 for a Graduate Studies “Still Time to Apply for Fall 2022” campaign.
• July–August: Undergraduate Transfer
  Targeted Facebook and Instagram advertisements for an undergraduate transfer campaign.

The SUNY Telecommuting Program (PDF, 209 KB), previously set to expire on August 31, 2022, has been extended to December 31, 2022. All parameters and constraints of the SUNY-wide program remain in place.

While the SUNY program will continue through December, extensions of telecommuting arrangements for Buffalo State employees are not automatic. Employees must request extensions of their existing plans, or apply for new plans.

All telecommuting arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor or manager, the department head or dean, the division leader, and senior campus leadership.

Requesting an Extension of a Telecommuting Plan
Please discuss your request with your supervisor and submit the SUNY Telecommuting Program Application and Work Plan, checking the box labeled “Application for Renewal.” Your plan should be updated at this time to reflect any operational changes.

While your request is being reviewed for approval, your existing plan will remain in effect. The Human Resource Management Office will notify you of the outcome of the review process for an extension.

Requesting a New Plan
Please discuss your request with your supervisor and submit the SUNY Telecommuting Program Application and Work Plan, checking the box labeled “New Application.”

New telecommuting work arrangements must not commence until they receive final written approval. The Human Resource Management Office will notify you when the arrangement can begin.

Employees approved to participate in the telecommuting program must complete and submit to their supervisors biweekly progress reports describing work completed while telecommuting. The Human Resource Management Office may, at any time, request these reports to ensure compliance with the program.

Please note the following program highlights:

• All telecommuting work arrangements are subject to advance approval.
• This program supports employees whose work does not require in-person student or constituent service delivery and interaction, including classroom presence.
• This program uses a set schedule during each pay period. It is not appropriate for “as needed” telecommuting arrangements.
• Telecommuting is limited to no more than 50 percent of a pay period.
• Telecommuting arrangements may be terminated at any time by the supervisor for operational reasons, or because the telecommuting employee does not complete the required progress reports.
• Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the work described in the telecommuting plan is being done, and that the needs of the department are being met while the plan is in place.

Telecommuting Program information for employees and supervisors is available on the Human Resource Management Office home page. Please contact the Human Resource Management Office staff with questions about the program.

We are interested in understanding the training and development needs of the campus to plan for the 2022–2023 academic year and beyond. These needs may be related to providing more support or efficiency in your current role or may be focused on professional development activities outlined in your performance program or other related professional or work goals. We are collecting this information to collaborate with subject matter experts across campus. Please complete the Professional and Faculty Development Needs Assessment by Friday, September 2. Thank you.

Please contact the Professional Development Center with questions.

We are interested in understanding the training and development needs of the campus to plan for the 2022–2023 academic year and beyond. These needs may be related to providing more support or efficiency in your current role or may be focused on professional development activities outlined in your performance program or other related professional or work goals. We are collecting this information to collaborate with subject matter experts across campus. Please complete the Professional and Faculty Development Needs Assessment by Friday, September 2. Thank you.

Please contact the Professional Development Center with questions.

Buffalo State will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 with a series of events.

National Hispanic Heritage Month—originally known as Hispanic Heritage Week—began in 1968 as a weeklong commemoration of the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. Since 1988, it has been celebrated annually between September 15 and October 15. During this month, Americans recognize the immeasurable contributions of the ancestors of American citizens who came from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and South and Central America, contributions that have been integral to the prosperity and values of the United States.

Film Screening: In the Heights
Thursday, September 15
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall

Salsa/Merengue Demonstration
Friday, September 16
Noon–2:00 p.m.
Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall

Student Game Show
Thursday, September 22
12:05–1:40 p.m.
Bulger Communication Center 214

Film Screening: Tortilla Soup
Thursday, October 6
6:00–8:00 p.m.
Campbell Student Union Assembly Hall

Ritmos Latinos/Latin Rhythms
Thursday, October 13
7:30–9:30 p.m.
Ciminelli Recital Hall

Latin@Roundtable
Friday, October 14
Noon–2:00 p.m.
Bacon Hall 115

Thanks to funding made available by the Faculty-Student Association, these events are organized by the Modern and Classical Languages Department in collaboration with Equity and Campus Diversity, the Dean of Students Inclusion and Equity Office, and the Music Department. For further information about these events, please contact Marko Miletich, assistant professor of modern and classical languages.

Beginning Wednesday, September 14, most campus websites will require users to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) when signing in. This will include sites like Degree Works, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace (Blackboard replacement), and the SUNY HR Portal. Buffalo State is adding this new protection as part of a SUNY-wide initiative to safeguard student privacy and data.

To set up your multi-factor verification options, or to update verification options that you previously configured, sign in to https://aka.ms/mfasetup with your Buffalo State username followed by @buffalostate.edu. Complete step-by-step instructions are available in the Knowledge Base. If you attempt to sign in to a campus website that requires MFA before setting up your verification options, you will see an “Additional information required” message that will redirect you to the MFA setup page.

If you have questions about multi-factor authentication, please review the MFA frequently asked questions page. You can also contact the IT Help Desk by email, by phone at (716) 878-HELP, or by stopping by the office in Butler Library on the ground floor behind the "Ask Us" counter.

Thank you for your patience as these changes are rolled out.

The Career and Professional Education Center (CAPE) is excited to announce the Part-Time-Job and Internship Fair today, September 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Union Plaza.

More than 50 campus departments and local organizations will be in attendance, looking to hire Buffalo State students to fill their part-time-job openings, as well as fall 2022, spring 2023, and summer 2023 paid internships. A list of the organizations attending is available on the CAPE website.  

Please remind students about the job fair and feel free to join us for the festivities.

For more information, please contact the Career and Professional Education Center, Cleveland Hall 306, (716) 878-5811, or visit the website.