I am pleased to announce the decision to expand Title III’s Roar 2 Success initiative for fall 2023. The initiative, designed to improve retention and persistence by supporting incoming students with wraparound support, is a collaboration between Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management. A cohort of incoming first-year, first-semester students who are not affiliated with EOP or Honors will be conditionally admitted in fall 2023. They will be registered for anchor courses UNC 100: Mastering the Academic Environment in fall 2023 and UNC 111: Career Planning in Theory and Practice in spring 2024. Completion coaches will be assigned to the UNC 100 and UNC 111 courses and will work cooperatively with the UNC instructors. Professional advisers and completion coaches will provide intentional activities outside of the classroom in fall 2023 and spring 2024.

Fifteen sections of UNC 100 are needed to accommodate the approximately 350 incoming students. Pedagogical sessions and workshops will be offered during the spring semester, and a required one-day workshop will be offered on Wednesday, May 24. Faculty and professional staff members who are interested in teaching UNC 100 in the Roar 2 Success initiative should submit a statement of interest. Please contact Daniel Blum, lecturer of history and social studies education, for more information.

I am pleased to announce that the bidding committee has retained Storbeck Search to partner with Buffalo State University in its 2023 presidential search process. As we announced previously, SUNY guidelines require us to work with a search firm to support the national recruitment of qualified candidates for the presidency of Buffalo State.

Storbeck Search is a widely recognized executive-search leader focusing on the education sector. With decades of experience working with colleges, universities, and university systems—Storbeck Search has successfully led executive-level searches for many colleges and universities, including the most recent presidential searches at SUNY Brockport, Cortland, Empire State, and Fredonia. Storbeck Search identifies and evaluates the finest executives from all backgrounds while treating all candidates with dignity, fairness, and honesty.

We look forward to working with Storbeck Search and have full confidence in the firm’s ability to represent our campus constituents in attracting the most qualified pool of candidates for the position of Buffalo State’s 10th president.

Sincerely,

Linda A. Dobmeier, ’71
Chair, Buffalo State Council

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About Storbeck Search
With a deep understanding of the unique challenges of higher education leadership and a strong understanding of shared governance dynamics, Storbeck Search brings a collaborative and consultative approach to the presidential search process that is based on collaboration, listening, and trust.

Storbeck Search is a part of Diversified Search Group, the world’s largest woman-founded executive search firm with one of the industry’s most diverse leadership teams. Diversified Search Group operates as a combination of specialty firms (Diversified Search, Alta Associates, BioQuest, Koya Partners, Grant Cooper, Storbeck Search, and Yardstick Management) and is the exclusive U.S. partner of AltoPartners, the international alliance of independent executive search firms.

I am pleased to announce that Catherine McCoy, recently retired administrative assistant in the Education Opportunity Program (EOP) Office, has received the President's Caring Bengal Award.

Ms. McCoy was nominated for the award by Neil O’Donnell, senior EOP counselor; and Margaret Brooks, administrative assistant in EOP. 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.

Members of the campus community are invited to submit nominations for the President’s Caring Bengal Award by 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 24. 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, reviews award nominations and selects the award recipient each month.

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

As I conclude my 43rd year in higher education, I find myself returning repeatedly to the notion that education is the great equalizer. As many of you know, my generation was the first in my family to attend college or even to finish high school. As I reflect on my life, I realize that higher education was the silver bullet that made the greatest difference in my life...

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

I am pleased to invite the campus community to the annual luncheon honoring our colleagues who are in their 25th year of service to SUNY on Thursday, March 23, at noon in the Campbell Student Union Social Hall. The luncheon will be complimentary for the honoree and one guest. Additional guests may attend at a cost of $32 per person. Reservations will be accepted through Tuesday, March 14.

Employees crossing the 25-year mark this year:

Chima Aharanwa, Lead Programmer, Information Technology Exchange Center
Patrick DeWind, Senior Database Administrator, Information Technology Services
Arlene Eagan, Maintenance Supervisor 1, Facilities
Martin Ederer, Associate Professor, History and Social Studies Education
Jeffrey Hammer, Senior Director, Environmental Health and Safety
Faizan Haq, Lecturer, Communication
Gregory Korvne, Data Manager/Statistician, Institute for Community Health Promotion
Jon Lines, Lecturer, Political Science and Public Administration
James Maloney, Lecturer, Exceptional Education
Betsy Montanez, Cleaner, Custodial Services
Michael Myers, University Police Officer 2, University Police
Neilhall Palmer, Network Support Programmer, Information Technology Services
Debbie Rohm, Administrative Assistant I, Finance and Management
Luann Root, Telecommunications Specialist, Information Technology Services
Thomas Scheira, Lecturer, Social and Psychological Foundations of Education
Allen Shelton, Professor, Sociology
Jeffrey Sick, Information Security Officer, Information Technology Services
Erik Snyder, Director of Administrative Services, Information Technology Exchange Center
Tao Tang, Professor, Geography and Planning
John Thompson, Associate Professor, Computer Information Systems
Michael Tracz, Manager of Web and Application Services, Information Technology Services
Jeffrey Ventura, Senior Associate Director, Intercollegiate Athletics
Amy Visniesky, Project Support Specialist, Upward Bound
Julie Wholf, Administrative Assistant 1, Elementary Education, Literacy, and Education Leadership
Natalie Wills, Office Assistant 1 (Keyboarding), Teaching and Learning Center
Robert Wood, University Police Officer 1, University Police

Please complete and return the guest reservation form (DOCX, 12 KB) or call Melissa Slisz, staff assistant in the President's Office, at (716) 878-4102.

If your name is not listed above and you have achieved 25 years of service in SUNY this year, please contact Melissa Slisz or Laurie Graziano, administrative assistant 2, in the President’s Office.

I am pleased to announce the relocation of the urban and regional planning programs and faculty to the Political Science and Public Administration Department to form a newly named Political Science, Public Administration, and Planning Department. Applied learning and urban engagement, centered in sustainability and social justice, will continue within a new comprehensive, innovative, and interdisciplinary curriculum guided by the expertise and applied experience of urban planning and public administration faculty members. This change is effective July 1, 2023, and should be reflected in official documents. The School of Arts and Sciences will work with offices across campus to ensure a smooth transition.

I am pleased to announce the merger of the previously independent departments of Geography and Earth Sciences to form a newly named Geosciences Department to use faculty expertise efficiently in course offerings and content and to expand opportunities for undergraduate student research. The merger will support the continued, strong tradition of applied learning and mentoring inside and outside the classroom that is a hallmark of the merging departments. This change is effective July 1, 2023, and should be reflected in official documents. The School of Arts and Sciences will work with offices across campus to ensure a smooth transition.

I am pleased to announce that Kristen Mruk has been selected as the special assistant to the provost and senate. Ms. Mruk has served the Buffalo State community as the associate director of student leadership and engagement, overseeing the Campbell Student Union, since August 2019. During that time, she developed a number of new systems and protocols, the most noteworthy, implementing a new reservation system (Mazevo), renovating three conference rooms with new technology for hybrid meetings, and managing staff and operations through the tumultuous pandemic. Through her time at Buffalo State, she has earned advanced certificates from the institution in both assessment in student affairs and disaster and emergency management, and she has recently begun a doctoral program in learning and teaching in social contexts from the University at Buffalo. In her new role, she will provide a broad range of executive-level administrative management and operational support particularly to the Buffalo State Senate and the Senate Curriculum Committee, and as a liaison in facilitating emergency coordination for the Academic Affairs division.

I encourage the Buffalo State community to nominate deserving colleagues for Buffalo State President’s Awards, SUNY Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, and Distinguished Faculty Ranks. Guidelines can be found on the Academic Affairs website. Please visit the Nomination Resources – Celebrations of Excellence section for helpful resources and tips for assembling nomination dossiers.

President’s Awards for Excellence
President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement; Advancement of Equity and Campus Diversity; Career Achievement for Faculty; Career Achievement for Professional Staff; Faculty and Staff Mentoring; Graduate Research Mentor; Librarianship; Research, Scholarship, and Creativity; Service to the College; Teaching; or as an Undergraduate Research Mentor

Due Date: Monday, March 6, 2023

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

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Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, Distinguished Faculty Ranks

1. Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching

   Due Date: Friday, September 15, 2023
    

2. SUNY Distinguished Professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Distinguished Service Professor, or Distinguished Librarian; Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service, Librarianship, Scholarship and Creative Activities, or Faculty Service

   Due Date: Monday, October 16, 2023

Please submit nominations with supporting materials electronically to the provost’s office.

Please note: For SUNY Chancellor’s Awards, nominators should prepare their nomination letters in the format of a Summary Presentation as specified in the SUNY Award guidelines. A Buffalo State Nomination Checklist Cover Sheet  (PDF, 275 KB) should be the first page of all nominations.

Questions may be directed to Carolyn Martino, executive assistant to the provost.

I am pleased to announce that Buffalo State University will hold its 2023 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 20. As in the past, we will continue to hold three individual ceremonies to accommodate our graduates, their families and guests, and the faculty and staff members who wish to share in celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of our graduates.

The Commencement Committee has recommended—and I have wholeheartedly agreed—that instead of having two undergraduate ceremonies and one graduate ceremony we will now hold three ceremonies by academic school, with respective master’s degrees and advanced graduate certificate programs folded into their academic schools.

Therefore, 2023 ceremonies will be held as follows:

• School of the Professions - 9:00 a.m.
• School of Education, including Individualized and Multidisciplinary Studies - 1:00 p.m.
• School of Arts and Sciences - 5:00 p.m.

Commencement is our high academic day, and this will be the first graduating class of Buffalo State University. These three ceremonies will honor the past, celebrate our graduates’ accomplishments, reflect on the academic year, welcome graduates into the Buffalo State Alumni Association, and reunite alumni with their academic homes. Although Commencement is a serious occasion, the events should also be fun, engaging, meaningful, and memorable for all involved—graduates, faculty, staff, alumni, and family. Overall, Commencement will be conducted with the express intent to incorporate established traditions, develop new rituals, and enhance Bengal Pride throughout our university community. 

Each ceremony will have its own Commencement speaker, who will deliver a message that I believe will truly resonate with each school’s graduates, faculty, staff, and guests. We look forward to announcing those speakers soon.

I would like to thank the Commencement Committee members for their hard work in the process thus far, and I look forward to a fabulous day of ceremonies on May 20!